Fire
by harperrose87
Summary: BOOK #3 [cont. of "JABBERWOCKY"]: As a message from the Colonists, Will must endure innocent deaths through a national outbreak of the Purity virus. Can Mulder, Scully, Doggett & Reyes work quickly enough to stop the colonization plan? Can Will trust a mystery woman from his dreams? Is the secret Cara is keeping from everyone worth the risk? (BOOK #4: "HOPE" online now!)
1. Author's Notes

_Author's Notes:_

_Welcome to Book #3 of the post IWTB series I've written! If you haven't caught up on what happened in the first book "Clandestine" or the second book "Jabberwocky", I suggest you read those books prior to this one, as it will make the most sense that way._

_A few orders of business to bring some clarity to your adventure:_

_1. The history (both real and X-Files-specific) and the places I include in this series are 99% real, with only extremely minor artistic liberties taken. I strive to keep the stories in this series as relatable as possible, using real places to host the events written. I also strive to bridge these stories to the past using a rich sampling of X-Files series history to provide continuity._

_2. What this means, essentially, is I don't own a damn thing about the X-Files, only what I write and any additional characters that have not appeared on the show previously, including my adult interpretation of William (as well as the original cover artwork). You can bet your boots that if I owned the X-Files, there would be more movies, a new series and anything else I could dream up._

_3. I display real people in my cover images for this series because when I dreamt up these tales, they are the faces that inspired the characters. Personally, this helps me to eliminate the guessing game of what a "new" person looks like while reading, allowing me to enjoy their personality attributes that come alive through the dialogue. The people I've modeled the characters I've introduced after physically, and maybe even some personality traits, are as follows:_

_**Brendan Fehr** (Will/William Van De Kamp/Mulder)  
__**Jennifer Lawrence** (Cara English/Mulder)  
__**Megan Fox** (Joy LaHaye) (debuts in "FIRE")_

_Again, I don't own them. We'd all be in trouble if I did._

_4. I believe in Mulder/Scully, and Doggett/Reyes. Never shall they be otherwise to me - no other romantic combinations exist in my world. Ye have now been warned. _

_5. This story's rating hovers between a T and an M. I think it's more T than M, so I listed it as such. There are four letter (and five letter) words used thoughtfully to match the characters, setting, violence and implied scenarios. Don't want any of that? Then go no further than these notes. Again, ye have now been warned._

_6. When reading, please have fun. Reading is such a beautiful and personal adventure. I was inspired to write these pieces because I lost too much sleep after thinking about them for so long, but mainly because it allows both the people I love and perfect strangers to go on an adventure together and to forget the world even if just for a moment. Get lost in this story - or any story you read. I guarantee you that if you sit back and let the story steer, you'll end up having the ride of your life._

_7. Always and forever, I will gladly take ALL feedbacks and criticisms you feel inclined to give. I believe that one can only be continually sharpened by allowing their blade to be ground. _

_Thank you so very much for your support, love and energy - have an amazing adventure!_


	2. Chapter 1

For Matt

thanks for keeping the excitement of infinite possibilities alive in me

* * *

**FIRE**

\ˈfī(-ə)r\

noun

the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame, and heat

* * *

_"There is an ancient Indian saying that something lives only as long as the last person who remembers it. My people have come to trust memory over history. Memory, like fire, is radiant and immutable, while history serves only those who seek to control it, those who would douse the flames of memory in order to put out the dangerous fire of truth. Beware these men, for they are dangerous themselves, and unwise. Their false history is written in the blood of those that might remember, and of those who seek the truth."_

_- Albert Hosteen, "The Blessing Way"_

* * *

CHAPTER 1

June 30, 2012  
11:49 A.M. EST  
Sybil's Cave, Stevens Institute of Technology  
Hoboken, NJ

"What the hell just touched me? Alright, that's it! Screw this!"

"Come on, seriously? It's an easy Benjamin."

"We could be down in Seaside, man. I could be looking at far more interesting things than dark, weird-ass caves right now."

"Come on, Chad," Kenny Greenwood said, rolling his eyes at his friend, Chad Wentworth. "We go on a little science hunt for Doc Jenson, and we get one-hundred bucks each."

"I don't know why I let you talk me into this," Chad mumbled, shining his flashlight around in the darkened cave depths. "Doesn't this shit creep you out?"

"Dude, you're scared?" Kenny laughed.

"I'm not scared, asshole," Chad retorted. "I'm just realizing why they had to bribe people with money to go in here to collect water samples. Know why, Kenny? Because this frickin' place is weird, that's why, and nobody in their right mind besides broke college kids are willing to go down in here."

Kenny shone his flashlight on Chad's face, smiling. "You _are_ scared."

"Fuck you, man," Chad yelled. "I ain't scared."

"Then shut up," Kenny replied.

"Well, why don't you move it so we can just be done with this shit?"

The two 19-year-olds continued down the darkened path of the cave, their orientation to north, south, east and west completely gone as they wove through the maze of a trail. The destination was the spring that lay deep in the cave, which Doctor Nicholas Jenson, a professor at the university where the two friends were majoring in Environmental Engineering, had offered cash payments to every student who would willingly go into the cave that weekend to collect samples of the water. Clutching their kits Doctor Jenson had given them for the task, Kenny and Chad pushed further into the depth of Sybil's Cave, pausing as they finally heard the faint sound of water trickling nearby.

"There," Kenny said, gesturing with the beam of light from his Maglite. "About five, six yards away."

"Can we fit in there?" Chad asked, eyeing the sloped entrance to where they heard the water coming from.

"One at a time, maybe ... I guess so."

"You're smaller, you go first." Chad said, crossing his arms.

"Wuss," Kenny said with a laugh, missing the near-punch Chad threw toward his back as he crouched down into the sloped opening. "Wait here," Kenny instructed, examining the space with his flashlight. Kenny laid down on his stomach, crawling on his elbows as he held the flashlight in his mouth.

"See anything?" Chad asked, stepping away from the entrance with hesitation. He waited, swallowing as the silence surrounded him. "Kenny?" he asked, shining his flashlight into the opening where his friend had disappeared. "Shit, come on, man! Stop screwing around!" He grimaced, examining the opening, shaking his head to himself when he thought of the possibility of having to go in there after him.

"Dude," Chad heard Kenny say from inside the spring, "this is so … weird."

"What is?" Kenny asked, hearing the nerves in his voice.

"The water is like … crystal clear … I've never seen water so clear! It's … beautiful."

"Just get the water, Kenny!" Chad yelled, fidgeting as he fought his instinct to flee the cave.

"I am!" Kenny yelled. "Hey, toss me your bottle. There's no way your fat ass is fitting in here."

"Screw you," Chad said sharply, chucking his bottle through the opening, hearing it splash into the spring, he assumed.

"Oh great, you moron," Kenny mumbled. "Your bottle just went in the water."

"So get it," Chad replied.

With a sigh, Kenny reached from the edge of the spring, stretching his arm toward the bottle that gracefully floated in the perfect waters, grumbling when he couldn't reach it. He inched closer to the edge, reaching a bit further as his fingers made brief contact with the bottle. "You're an ass, Chad!" Kenny yelled angrily. "I'm taking your hundred bucks for this." Hearing no response, Kenny tried reaching again, this time making contact with the bottle, gripping it firmly as he lifted it from the spring. "There," he mumbled, filling the bottle with water and capping it tightly. "Alright, wuss, I'm coming back out so don't block the-"

Kenny froze when he heard the panicked scream of his friend. "Chad?! Chad, what's wrong?" His eyes widened when he didn't respond; he only heard raspy breathing on the other side of the sloped entrance out of the spring. "Chad? Dude, come on, say something!"

Feeling a sense of fear rising inside of him, Kenny tucked the bottles into his sack that he strapped across himself, lowering down to his elbows and proceeding to crawl back through the entrance. A short moment later - he figured his new worries that flooded his mind had sped up the process naturally - he reappeared on the other side of the cave, removing the flashlight from his mouth. "Chad?" he said softly, not seeing his friend where he left him.

Kenny nearly jumped when he finally spotted Chad, his back against the far wall of cave they were near. "Dude!" he said, shaking his head. "What the hell, man?" Kenny's eyes narrowed as Chad just stared at him. "You alright?" he asked, shining his flashlight at Kenny's face. He was perplexed when he didn't see him shield his eyes in response.

"Never better," Chad replied, his voice even and confident.

"Come on," Kenny said, shaking his head. "Let's get this to Doc Jenson so we can get paid."

Chad watched calmly with a small smile as Kenny led the way back out of the cave, blinking slowly, black film momentarily filling and covering his eyes in dark oil.

* * *

7:52 P.M. EST

_Two samples, _Doctor Nicholas Jenson thought, somewhat annoyed. _What the hell is wrong with kids? _He had personally offered them cash out of his own pocket for the students to collect the water, also unofficially promising a boost in any grades as needed for the end of that semester. Only two students - the unlikely duo of Kenny Greenwood and Chad Wentworth - accepted the offer, making his experiments a lot cheaper than he anticipated, but also a lot less robust. Kenny and Chad weren't the brightest bulbs in his chandelier of pupils that semester; he knew money was their only motivation besides the extra grade points. He had hoped some of his top students would have collected, too, so that he would not only have the water to test, but the students to help.

It had been perplexing how Chad had acted when he and Kenny dropped off the samples earlier that afternoon around 12:30. Kenny was eager to be paid, while Chad seemed more eager in what the water was being used for - something Doctor Jenson hadn't expected, given Chad's track record that semester as one of the most uninvolved students in his Methods of Transportation class. Yet, the conversation had been engaging with Chad while it lasted, and Doctor Jenson had noticed a distinguishing change in his student that both pleased and confused him.

Slowly pouring the water in a small vile, Doctor Jenson paused, studying the bottom of the bottle where the water came from. "What the hell …" he began, holding up the clear bottle to the compact fluorescent lightbulb in his laboratory lamp. His eyebrow raised slowly as he examined the dark substance that seemed to be both intermixed with the spring water as well as separated from it. He watched the substance carefully, feeling the bottle under his fingers as he rotated it against the light, curious as to what it was. "Oil?" he asked himself quietly, knowing he was alone in the campus hall, perhaps even in the campus itself, being as it was a Saturday night in the summer.

He jumped with fear as the substance began to move, seeming to crawl up the side of the plastic bottle as he watched in horror. Overcoming with shock, Doctor Jenson dropped the bottle carelessly onto the workstation, backing away from it as splashed onto the formica. His eyes widened in terror as he saw the oil spill from the neck of the bottle first in the opposite direction as he, then suddenly reversing toward him, as if it was conscious of his presence. He tripped clumsily over the wheeled chair he had been sitting in as he backed away from the approaching oil, words failing him as he watched in shock. Now on the floor, Doctor Jenson scrambled away from the rapidly approaching oil, gripping onto the door knob of the classroom as he felt his back crash into the the wood of the door.

He screamed in terror as he watched the oil somehow slip under his skin, seeing the worm-like particles traveling up his short-clad legs, horrified as they filled his body against his will. His arms, chest, neck and face soon bore the worm-like beings, his eyes filling with darkness as he cried out, no one there to listen to his desperate pleas for help.

* * *

July 3, 2012  
7:27 A.M. MST  
Shiprock Territory, NM

_His dream was in the meadow he was married in, two small children at his feet chasing each other in a competitive and serious game of Tag. They were beautiful, the children - one with bright green eyes and auburn hair that glistened in the sun, the other had a mane of thick brown hair much like his own, the child's dark brown eyes intense and deep. Their laughter pierced the desert air, giggles erupting as he swept them up in his strong arms, smiling as he spun around with them as they wiggled in an attempt to escape before he set them back down on the grass. _

"_Momma!" the green-eyed child squealed, bounding excitedly to the figure who now approached. The brown-eyed child rushed toward the woman as well; he saw her head was tilted down. He stopped suddenly, his heart jumping when he saw the dark waves of her hair cascading over her shoulders as she pressed the children to her in an embrace. Slowly, her eyes looked up to him, meeting his with a seductive smile. _

_He panicked. It wasn't her - it wasn't her blue eyes that were gazing at him so sensually, but rather, blue eyes belonging to someone else. Someone he knew. Someone he was attracted to. Someone he desired._

William Mulder shot up from his sleep, breathing heavily as he glanced around the cabin, the early morning sun casting shadows over the few furnishings that were present in the bedroom he had been sleeping in. He shut his brown eyes tightly, rubbing them as he felt the cotton sheet fall down his bare chest. Reopening his eyes, he glanced beside him, his heart racing again when he didn't see her there.

"CARA!"

Cara Mulder nearly jumped out of her skin as Will burst through into the living room, clad in only his boxers, his eyes wild and frantic until they landed on her. She sat up from the couch as quickly as she could, feeling the weight of her nearly 7-month-pregnant belly slow her on her way up. "Will!" she said softly, concerned as he stared at her. "What's wrong?"

Will breathed a sigh of relief, still trying to slow his pulse from his scare earlier. "Why are you out here?" he asked. "I … I didn't see you, and I panicked."

It wasn't a complete lie - he had, in fact, worried when he saw she was absent from their bed. What had driven his pulse up in the first place, though, was the dream he woke suddenly from. It was a recurring dream he had now had for at least two weeks, every night the same thing. What was strange to him was his inability to identify the woman who was present in his dream, embracing the family that he knew Cara was carrying in her womb, the twins inside of her causing her to show more than normal. Whoever this woman was, she had taken Cara's place in his dream, and Will felt sick whenever he woke, recalling the attraction he felt to the mystery figure in his dreams.

"My back is killing me," Cara said softly. "The support from the sofa helps." She stood, holding her belly as she stretched upward, her pale blue sleeveless nightshirt flowing over her stomach. She searched Will's eyes in confusion as he rushed to her, pressing a kiss on her lips. "I'm alright, Will," she assured when they parted. "You can leave my side for five seconds and I will survive." Cara's eyes narrowed as she saw what seemed like guilt in Will's eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked, sensing the kiss wasn't merely for relief, but to make up for something that was unspoken, the same something she saw in his face.

"Nothing," Will said quickly, trying to brush off the guilt that kept creeping up inside of him, threatening to crack through the surface of his facade.

A knock on their front door made them both turn, and Will grabbed his gun from the side table, peering out of the curtain discreetly before answering. "Jeez, Dad," Will mumbled, opening the door for his father. "You're up early."

Fox Mulder smiled, laughing at his son's state of undress and disheveled hair. "I'm headed into town," he explained. "Need anything?"

"I need to get out of here," Will mumbled softly. Since arriving at the settlement in February, Will hadn't left unless Cara was with him, afraid for her safety should he not be there to protect her and his unborn children. Since Cara had begun approaching her third trimester, Will was less apt for Cara to venture out in the heat of the summer desert sun, causing them to become homebound.

"So you go," Mulder said gently, knowing Cara couldn't overhear as he saw her slip away to the bathroom. "You take the truck. I'll stay here."

"You know I won't do that," Will replied.

"She'll be fine, William," Mulder reassured.

"I love her, Dad … but I'm just … starting to go stir-crazy."

"So get out, go to town. Your mom and I will stay here. Just pick up some bread for us."

Will shook his head. His jaw tightened as he glanced back to the bathroom where Cara went to. "No thanks," he said. "I … I don't want to risk her again."

"William," Mulder said gently, "you can't keep beating yourself up for that."

Will sighed deeply. "I'll be fine," he murmured, thinking briefly about the mystery woman of his dreams, wondering if he should confide in his father. Perhaps an Oxford-educated psychologist would have some insight on the meaning of it. "Dad," Will began, unconcerned that he was still only in his underwear as he spoke with his father, "what does it mean when … when you have a recurring dream?"

"There's probably something unsettled in your mind. An answer to a question you haven't asked yet," Mulder replied, analyzing his son's facial expressions. "What's the dream about?"

"What dream?" Cara asked from behind them.

Mulder saw Cara approach over Will's shoulder, watching as Will glanced quickly back to her. "Just a dream about our children," Will said with a smile, taking her in his arms. "A good one, don't worry."

"Good morning," Mulder said to Cara with a small smile, not fully convinced of Will's reply to his wife.

"'Morning," she replied, blushing slightly as Will pressed several kisses on her cheek softly.

"Well, if you're sure you guys don't need anything, I'll be heading out," Mulder said. "Enjoy your day."

"You're gone the whole day?" Will asked, hoping the disappointment wasn't as clear in his voice as he felt it was.

Mulder nodded. "Your mom and I are stretching our legs for a bit. If not, I think we might kill each other." Mulder met Will's eyes. "Something you guys might want to consider."

"I've tried," Cara mumbled, still wrapped in Will's arms. "He doesn't want to."

"It's too stressful for you right now," Will said as an excuse.

"What? The fact that I'm carrying twins or you worrying about me dying every five minutes?" Cara retorted.

"Cara-"

"Will, hiding me in this cabin isn't healthy for anyone, and you know it!" Cara said, pulling out of Will's arms. "Am I right?" she asked Mulder, who immediately regretted his involvement.

Mulder winced. "He's just trying to protect you," he said softly, trying to smooth things over.

"Oh, so now you're taking his side?" Cara asked, shaking her head in mild disgust, lacing it with teasing humor so the situation wouldn't become tense. "You just said it might be good for us to get out! You Mulder men are both the same. You just don't want to be wrong." She sighed, frowning. "Enjoy your freedom," she said to Mulder, eyeing him. "At least you get some."

Cracking a gentle smile, Mulder waved. "I'm leaving before I get attacked by a pregnant woman," he said, turning and taking the stairs swiftly down the porch. "Last chance to join us?" he asked to Will, pausing in front of their cabin. "I'm sure Shilah would let you use his truck."

"Have fun," Will said, confirming his rejection of the invitation.

"See you later," Mulder said as Cara watched him leave from the open door, sighing.

"Why _didn't _we go with them, Will?" she asked softly as Will closed the door.

"You need to rest," Will said, trying to avoid the discussion he knew Cara wanted to have.

"Or it's just easier to keep tabs on me here?" Cara asked.

"Cara-"

"Will, I can't and I _won't _live my life bound to a cabin until I die!" Cara exclaimed, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "You need to accept that whatever life we do have left, I want to actually LIVE it. Not sit here and be stuck wondering how I should rearrange the furniture for the third time in a week just to entertain myself!"

"Cara, I don't want to risk you out there," Will said firmly, facing her. "Who the hell knows who's out there, who could be looking for you. I mean … you don't exactly blend in right now." Will's eyes fell on his wife's pregnant stomach. "You might as well write 'prophecy twins' on your shirt if you do go out."

"You wouldn't barely let me out of the house when I hardly _had _a stomach, Will!" Cara reminded. "It's ridiculous! I mean, I go one minute of my life being a weapon-bearing, criminal chasing equal of yours, and in the next, I'm some kind of helpless damsel who couldn't even possibly be capable of taking care of myself!" She was legitimately angry now, feeling the pent-up-frustration of Will's overbearing nature coming to a head. "Will, what … are we going to pen our children up, too? Huh? Are we going to keep them locked up, too? They'll never have friends, or be involved in anything, or-"

"Cara, listen to yourself!" Will exclaimed. "I mean, you're acting like life is going to be normal for our kids!"

"Well, why can't it be?!"

"Because the world is ENDING, CARA!" Will shouted, angry at having to remind her yet again. "Pretty soon, we won't HAVE a NORMAL world."

Cara pressed her lips together, shaking her head. "I can't do this anymore," she whispered, her hand resting on her stomach. "You're … you've just … given up. You don't have a single ounce of hope in you anymore."

"What can I hope in, Cara?" Will demanded. "A Navajo folklore tale regarding a goddess who gets impregnated by the sun? Or how about the second-coming of Jesus? Maybe in reincarnation, then? So this way, when we all die, I can believe that I'll come back as a fucking unicorn?"

Cara stared at Will; she felt the resentment building inside of her. He closed his eyes as he felt her brush by him on her way into the bedroom, knowing she was livid at him and knowing he had taken the argument too far, once again. "Cara," he said softly, following her into the bedroom, catching her in the process of dressing. "I'm sorry," he said softly, standing behind her, daring not to approach her until he received a better transmission from her body language.

"Will," Cara said, sighing as she faced him and sitting on the bed as she adjusted the long tank top she pulled on over her maternity shorts, "I can't keep living like this. We can't … we can't just focus on what's ahead all the time. We're … we're missing out on the here and now."

Will nodded gently, knowing she was right. "I know," he said, coming to sit beside her. "I just don't want anything to happen to you or our children."

Cara stroked Will's stubbled face, smiling at the familiar and comforting warmth of his skin. "Nothing is going to happen," she said gently. "Evil … evil only has a grip on you if you let it." She swallowed, remembering to herself how Tess in Colorado had said those words to her months before, some of the last words Tess would speak before dying on hers and Will's behalf.

Will leaned in, kissing her gently. "Let's go out tomorrow, then," he said softly, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm taking you out for the Fourth of July. We'll go see some fireworks in town. How does that sound?"

"That sounds perfect."

* * *

12:09 P.M. EST  
Seaside Heights Beach, NJ

Adjusting his dark sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, John Doggett opened the car door he and Monica Reyes had been driving in, shutting it behind him as he felt the ocean breeze brush across his face. Through the tint of the lenses, he could see the streams of yellow caution tape blocking off a section of the beach, though the rest was being patrolled by the New Jersey State Police in an effort to keep vacationing beach-goers away from the scene for the time-being. A devastating crime had occurred, which couldn't have happened at a worse time for this particular area. Given it was the holiday week and how the coast filled with both residents and tourists from all over the tri-state area and beyond, hosting a crime scene that would scare people away from the popular boardwalk would damage the local economy during the peak of its productive season.

"John, look," Monica Reyes said, gesturing out toward the water where she saw a bunch of local police attempting to block a barrage of people from coming near the crime scene - mostly young adults, college age she figured, judging from their choice of attire and the language that they heard as they approached the mass of people.

"Hey dude, look!" Doggett heard one of the younger men say, pointing at him and Reyes. "Dude, I bet they're FBI!"

"Oh man … I told you some freaky shit happened here!" the person he was speaking to replied, wearing similar boardshorts as his companion, sporting summer tans and bare feet.

"And you are?" Doggett asked, approaching them, hearing their comments.

"Justin," the first one said.

"Manny," the second one said, flashing a smile at Reyes. "Hello, officer."

"It's Agent," Reyes said with a bit of impatience.

"Sweet," Manny said, still smiling. "Agent … _Linda_?" he added with an attempt at charm, using Spanish in flirtation.

"Hey, how about we ask the questions, boys," Doggett said, eyeing them. "What did you see?"

"Man, we already told the five-ohs," Manny said, frowning at Doggett.

"And what about you, Justin? Did you give a statement?" Doggett asked.

"Yeah, man. Though … they didn't seem to really take us seriously."

"I wonder why," Doggett mumbled, glancing over at the police who were still maintaining the crowd. "What did you tell them?"

"If Jersey cops don't believe us, man, what makes you think you will?" Manny asked defensively.

"Try us," Reyes said, her eyes falling on Manny, but not visible with sunglasses.

"Well …" Justin was hesitant. "I mean, do you guys have … uh … like the right to arrest us or something … if …"

"So you were at a party out there with a bunch of people last night. We know already." Doggett was sharp, to the point as he spoke. "I don't care about the party for right now, unless we find out it has something to do with it. What I want to hear about is the statements regarding a bright flash of light."

Manny glanced over at Justin, shrugging. Justin continued. "Alright … well, we came here and there were like twenty other people … around eight o'clock, maybe. We were just chillin' on the beach, watching the waves and shit. Then … this kid we didn't know came. I mean, I think I've seen him on campus but I don't know his name. He just kinda … stood there … and looked at us. He looked stoned or something. Manny and me went to get some more … soda … and left the group right after we saw him come. Some of the people recognized him, I guess. But he just kinda … stood there. Weird."

"You both go to Stevens Institute of Technology, correct?" Reyes asked.

"Yeah," Manny answered.

"Then what happened?" Doggett asked, nodding to Justin.

"Well … like, we heard people start to scream and shit and we turned around and … dude, it was like a huge flash of bright white light that came outta nowhere! I mean, it was crazy. I told Manny to split with me, 'cuz I wasn't into whatever shit was going on back there. So we left."

"You didn't see anything after the bright light?"

"Nah, man. We were gone."

"Did you hear anything other than the screams?" Reyes asked.

"Nope. It was quiet after that … but still, we ain't stupid," Manny said, crossing his arms. "No way in hell I was going back there."

"Next thing you know, people are saying the kids that were there were burned and shit. I mean, like fried. So messed up," Justin mumbled.

"Did you call the police?" Reyes questioned, frowning as she received hesitant silence in response.

"We … uh …" Manny started.

"We didn't …" Justin tried, then just resorted to shaking his head.

_Underage drinking, _Reyes concluded to herself. _Probably drugs, too._

"Can you give a description of the person you saw who you didn't recognize?" Reyes asked.

"It was dark …" Justin said. "I mean, I already gave what I could to the sketch artist."

"Alright," Doggett said, eyeing them both, "stay available in case the police want to question you some more, okay?"

"Sure, man," Justin said.

"Later, Agents," Manny said, picking up his surfboard and following Justin away from the scene that Doggett and Reyes now approached.

"Agents Doggett and Reyes," Doggett said to the New Jersey State police officer who approached them, each of them flipping their IDs open for the officer to examine. "FBI. We were called up here by Sergeant Rosenfeld."

The cop nodded. "Right this way," he said, leading Doggett and Reyes under the caution tape. Reyes' eyebrow arched as she examined the sand, seeing the large areas of solidified sand that appeared to have been transformed into a type of organic glass.

"John," she said softly, pointing as she crouched down to examine it closer. "Look at this."

Coming down to her level, Doggett paused, poking the sand with a pen from his pocket, the rock like formations clinking together. "Do you know how hot it would have to be to convert sand to glass?" he asked quietly, glancing at Reyes.

"Radiation hot," she whispered.

"Agents," they heard a voice behind them say, causing them to both stand and turn toward it. "I'm Sergeant David Rosenfeld." He stuck out his hand, which Doggett took first, gripping it in a firm shake, followed by Reyes.

"Agent Doggett, and Agent Reyes," Doggett said, nodding to Reyes as Sgt. Rosenfeld shook her head.

"Thanks for coming up on such short notice," Sgt. Rosenfeld said. "I see you've found the ten-thousand-dollar question mark." He nodded down to the chunks of solidified sand. "Damn if I can explain it, though I've got people breathing down my neck to. And I've got statements from kids who were most likely drunk and high, which means I don't know if I've even got anything to tell the families of the victims." He sighed. "Word got to me from some of the younger troopers about your work in the … shall we say, 'less explainable' … so I thought maybe you'd have some insight."

"How many victims were there?" Reyes asked.

"Fourteen," Sgt. Rosenfeld replied. "All college kids, from what we can tell. We're still in the process of getting the bodies ID'ed with dental records."

"Have you established cause of death?"

Sgt. Rosenfeld sighed. "Those kids … I mean, they were burnt to a crisp." He shook his head in disbelief. "I've never seen anything like it. And we didn't find any trace evidence of a fire starter. No chemical residue, no matches, torches or anything. Barely anyone witnessed what happened, and the two statements we do have are hardly credible."

"Two kids named Justin and Manny?" Doggett asked.

"Yeah," Sgt. Rosenfeld replied. "I mean … how do fourteen young people burn at such a hot temperature, yet no one sees anything or hears anything for more than a moment?"

"Mind if we poke around a bit?" Doggett said, nodding toward the scene.

"Be my guest," Sgt. Rosenfeld said. "Just let the boys know if you need anything."

With a nod, Doggett and Reyes walked back toward the scene, Doggett's mouth coming close to Reyes' ear. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked quietly.

"That we've got someone infected with Purity running around, killing people?"

"Yep."

Reyes paused, looking at the sand as Doggett stood next to her. "It's happening already, John," she whispered softly in sadness. "We need to tell Mulder."


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

11:10 A.M. MST  
Shiprock Territory, NM

The dry heat of New Mexico was far different than the stifling humidity of her native New Jersey; Cara was grateful for the lack of moisture in the air as she hung the laundry out on the clothesline behind their small cabin, feeling the rambunctious twins in her womb squirm and kick with delight at her movement. Pinning the last of Will's shirts to the line, she paused, her hands on her hips as she stared out into the desert beyond her.

When they had first come here in February, the desert seemed like such a mysterious place - different sights and sounds, different weather patterns and different lifestyles than Hoboken. Shiprock moved more languidly than Hoboken would ever dare to. At times, the slower pace suited her, allowing her the freedom to breathe and enjoy life. Yet, at times she yearned for the excitement and energy the city brought her, something new and fresh around every corner. It had been nearly five weeks since she left the house, and had it not been for the babies inside of her, she would have probably snuck away by now - taken the red pickup that she and Will still had that they now shared with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully and gone on a personal adventure.

As she examined the desert surrounding her, she thought of her apartment in Hoboken, wondering who might be occupying it now. Since Doggett and Reyes moved her things into storage, she knew they still existed, but everything else she knew was gone. All she worked for in paying her rent every month with a job she loved had vanished the instant she took Will's hand and plunged into the Cherry Creek Reservoir.

Cara didn't give herself really any time to grieve the loss of her former life, as Will was insistent about keeping her cooped up as much as possible, meaning she was hardly ever alone. Even now, as she stood in thought by herself, she knew he was there, watching her through the kitchen window like he always did, making sure the boogie man didn't snatch her away. Her daily shower and using the bathroom were the only two times she was ever actually alone. Even then, she suspected Will wasn't far away, just waiting for the doom to burst through the door and defeat them.

She sighed, thinking about how overbearing Will had become, though he seemed to want to rectify his behavior now. Maybe he was just trying to pacify her, just trying to silence her so he could continue playing the role of Mother Hen over her, not willing even for a second to think anyone besides himself was capable of protecting her, including Cara herself. She knew he meant well - and she knew he still felt the pain of losing her the first time in the motel, and then again when he chose his parents over her. To Cara, it seemed as if he was trying to make right a wrong that John, the settlement elder, warned him about, only he was too late. Will had poured so much energy into her and their children that she worried he had nothing left of himself to give.

Without warning, her mom crossed her mind, and Cara grimaced, knowing how it had been several weeks since she tried to reach out to her, not receiving any response back. She had lied to Will and said she spoke with her, simply because she didn't want to deal with the flood of emotions that her mother's silence stirred up in her. Was it that she didn't care enough? Or was it that she couldn't respond, even if she wanted to?

Feeling a single tear escape her eye, Cara quickly wiped her cheek, ridding her tanned skin of any outward display of feelings as she tucked her golden brown hair behind her ear. Will was consumed with enough. He didn't need this added to his plate. She had attempted in every way possible to make her pregnancy easy on him, not complaining ever about the excruciating lower back pain she felt from the weight of her stomach or how her hips spreading had radiated pain through her entire groin, preparing for the inevitable delivery day. She even resolved her own craving issues, not subjecting Will to the stereotypical "get me a pickle and a chocolate bar at two a.m." situations she had heard about or seen on television. If she did say so herself, she was a pretty good wife for all she did herself, given the circumstances.

"Shima!"

Cara turned, naturally responding to the nickname she was given the first morning they entered the settlement. No one who lived there besides Will, Mulder and Scully ever referred to her as Cara. Even Will had become Young Fox to the residents besides her and his parents, which she knew he found endearing. "Hi, River," she said softly, seeing the boy approach her as he ran through the spotty patches of desert grass, barefoot and shirtless, his brown shorts dirtied with dust and his long, black hair flowing behind him.

"Shima, do you know where Mr. Mulder is?" the young boy asked, breathing heavily.

"He's in town," Cara replied, coming down the stairs as she saw the urgency in River's eyes. "What's wrong, River?"

"Nothing," River said quickly, turning to leave.

"Oh, no you don't," Cara said, catching his arm and turning him back to her. "You're going to tell me what's going on."

"You are not like Young Fox," River said, eyeing her. "You cannot enter my mind."

"No, but I can tickle you to death unless you spill your guts," Cara warned, narrowing her eyes back at the boy.

"You wouldn't!" River said, shocked.

"I would," Cara replied with a serious nod. "So you'd best tell me to avoid a painfully ticklish experience."

River smiled. "Fine. Uncle Eric said that Agent Doggett called the trading post looking for him."

"Oh really?" Cara said, her interest peaked. "What about?"

"Something about a case he and Agent Reyes are working on."

"What kind of a case?"

"He didn't say. But Uncle Eric said Agent Doggett was really in a hurry to talk to Mr. Mulder."

"Hey, River," Will said, coming down the porch stairs as he approached the boy and Cara, eyeing Cara suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," River said, waving as he ran back toward his cabin.

"Liar," Will mumbled, unable to resist reading the boy's thoughts. He turned to Cara. "There's a case Doggett wants my father to help with?" he asked her for confirmation.

Cara nodded. "River said that there was urgency in Doggett's voice."

Will looked toward the road leading out of the settlement. "I don't know when he'll be back. Maybe I should send River to look for him downtown."

"By himself?" Cara asked, surprised. "Will, it's bad enough he goes to the trading post alone, let alone to town that's thirty miles away."

"He can handle it," Will said, still looking at the road.

"No, Will," Cara replied firmly. "I won't let him go himself."

"Well Shilah and Eric are gone, Rebecca and Sarah have the little ones and I sure as hell am not asking John to look for my dad."

"So why … why don't you go? I'll stay here." Cara suggested softly, causing Will to turn sharply toward her.

"No way," he said. "I'm not leaving you here."

"Damnit, Will," Cara grumbled, "just _go, _for crying out loud. I'll be fine."

"Cara-"

"Will, this information is probably far more important than your principles," Cara argued. "If Doggett is risking his neck to be the first to contact, you know it has to be something big." She paused, seeing Will absorb her words. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll go stay in John's cabin or something. I've got a gun, and I know how to use it. I'll be fine."

Still seeing Will wasn't entirely convinced, Cara stroked his cheek, sighing. "Will, you know this is not only right because of the information. You need to get out. You need … you need to not be with me for more than two minutes at a time."

"What about you?" Will said softly. "You need freedom, too."

"I'll be getting that tomorrow, remember?" she reminded, kissing his cheek. "Go. I'll be fine."

She saw the struggle that was plainly visible in Will's face as he wrestled with making a decision. "Alright," he finally said. "River stays with you, though."

Cara's eyebrow raised. "A ten-year-old boy is more capable against an alien bounty hunter than me?" she asked.

"No, but it would just make me feel better to know you're not alone here," Will mumbled.

"I'm not," Cara replied, rubbing her stomach; she saw Will's eyes rest on her pregnant belly, a smiling warming over his face.

"Then you two better take care of your mother," he said softly, kissing her stomach before trapping her lips in his, sensually kissing her as he ran his fingers through her long hair. He parted, kissing her forehead gently. "Please be safe," he whispered. "Please … just …"

"I'll be fine, Will."

"I know you will. I just don't know if I will."

Cara reached up, kissing Will gently. "You will." A thought then occurred to her. "Will, how will you get there? Do you have Shilah's keys?"

"No, but I have the keys to the motorcycle," he replied, patting his pocket.

"Ugh," Cara groaned. "I hate those things."

"Now who's worried about who?" Will teased with a smile. "I'll be fine," he whispered, kissing her cheek before he began to walk toward the garage he knew Eric's motorcycle was in. "I'll be back before supper," he said, taking one final glance at her before he turned, jogging away as she watched.

It was as she soon heard the engine to the bike start that Cara realized that the freedom she now had wasn't so thrilling after all, her mind consumed with worry as she watched Will drive out of the settlement, a cloud of dust forming behind him.

* * *

12:01 P.M. MST  
Farmington, NM

Will eased up on the gas of the motorcycle he entered the town in, respecting the reduced speed limit as he turned onto Main Street, his eyes scanning the parking spots along the side of the road for the familiar red pickup truck he knew his parents had left in early that morning. Farmington was one of four metropolitan areas of the entire state of New Mexico, and really the only place to shop, eat or be entertained near to where they now lived. Through his aviators, Will scanned the cars he saw stopped, frowning as he came to a red light, not spotting his parents thus far.

His western boots hit the road as he stopped the motorcycle, waiting for the traffic light to change. He felt the hot desert sun heating up his black denim pants he wore, grateful for the lightness of his gray tee shirt he had permanently borrowed from his dad. Though he appreciated the lack of humidity compared to New Jersey, the sun was still blistering at noon in July in New Mexico, his skin tanned as a result and soaking in even more rays as he waited, eventually seeing the light change to green. Easing the black Harley Davidson back down the road, he continued looking for any sign of his parents or the truck they came in.

Not having a cell phone merely had one benefit, which was the lack of a cell phone bill to pay each month. It was a much simpler life without one, or a home computer, which forced him to pick up hobbies, such as the motorcycle he now drove. Eric had let him ride it around the settlement, much to Cara's dislike. He knew Cara had always been opposed to them, recalling numerous times she would get frustrated at them as she drove their squad car on runs through the city. Besides the bike, Will had become pretty good at archery, a skill he felt would eventually become useful in the months to come.

Will nearly rammed into the back of the car in front of him as his eyes wandered to a woman that was walking down the sidewalk along the main road he was riding on. He swallowed, taking in her long, dark hair that seemed to glow in the sun, watching as her hips swayed as she walked. He was terrified for knowing her, which he felt was impossible. Yet, in his heart, he knew it was the woman he had dreamt about for some time now, even without looking at her face. With equal hesitation and curiosity, Will continued to drive down the road, splitting his focus between the traffic he drove in and her, hoping to get a glimpse of her face as he now rode parallel to her, wanting to confirm if it was her. Seeing another red light ahead, he cursed under his breath, puzzled as to why his need to see this woman's face consumed him so much, and stopped the bike, balancing himself as he waited. His eyes still stalked her, and he felt his heart jump when she turned and looked at him, a soft smile on her full, red lips, her blue eyes piercing through him like a knife being twisted in his gut. She held his gaze for a moment, before turning back, passing him as she walked past the storefronts. It was her.

He panicked, needing to know instantly who she was and why he felt he knew her, wondering if she had been part of his life that had been erased by Cara's father. It was then that he realized he couldn't hone in on her thoughts. He couldn't read them. With renewed determination to stop her, thinking she was a bounty hunter, Will pulled over, parking the bike and began pursuing her. He ran quickly down the sidewalk, pushing through people so he didn't lose sight of her, not wanting her to suddenly shift into another person and vanish. He needed to keep tabs on this woman, whatever she was.

Finally nearing her, Will grabbed her arm, ripping his sunglasses off as he turned her roughly around toward him. Seeing her face up close caused him to nearly gasp, his heart lurching at her incredible beauty. "Who are you?" he demanded, breathing heavily as his pulse quickened.

"May I ask what you're doing?" the woman said, looking at him perplexed.

"Look, I know what you are, so cut the crap," Will said firmly, still gripping her arm. "You're coming with me."

"Let go of me!" she demanded, pulling her arm out of Will's grasp.

"Hey!" Will said, grabbing her again, this time attracting the attention of a couple of male bikers, who began to approach him. "Who are you?" he asked, searching the woman's eyes.

"Let go of me now!" she yelled, attempting to unlock herself from Will's incredible strength.

"Hey dirtbag!" Will heard one of the bikers yell. "Get your hands off of her!"

"She's not what you think she is," Will yelled, his eyes shifting from them to the woman, who looked at him, perplexed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked.

"I'm not letting you go, you son of a bitch," Will growled, angry at the thought of a bounty hunter freely walking around, now panicking as he remembered Cara was alone at the cabin.

Will felt the two men yank him off of her while he was distracted in thought of Cara, worrying for her safety. The men slammed him up against the stone wall of one of the buildings along the alleyway he had stopped the woman in front of, gripping him and sneering at him. "You punk," one of them said, "how's it feel, huh pervert?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Will growled, tossing the two men aside with a flick of his wrist, pinning them against the opposite wall of the alley as they gasped in surprise.

"Holy shit!" one said, eyeing Will as he darted off, keeping the men suspended with his mind until he gained distance, now pursuing the woman who had fled down the street.

Will's feet pounded hard down the sidewalk, seeing her dark waves of hair still ahead of him, but getting closer as he followed her, wondering why the bounty hunter hadn't changed his appearance in order to disappear. Will froze, watching as the woman ducked into a bar, realizing he was possibly being set up. The bounty hunter wanted him to follow into the bar, he thought. But why?

After a moment of trying to make a decision, Will reluctantly ducked into the bar after her, his eyes adjusting to the darkened atmosphere as he tried to spot the woman. The bar hardly had any patrons, being as it was midweek during lunch, yet he couldn't seem to spot her. "Damn," he growled, realizing she most likely shifted appearances. He scanned the room quickly, isolating the thoughts of each person he saw, which confused him even more. She wasn't there.

Angry, Will shoved open the bar door, storming out as he caught out of the corner of his eye the two men who had tried to stop him moments before. He sighed in relief when they backed off, not willing to approach the man who had just shoved them against a wall with his mind, and Will turned away, scanning the street as his eyes fell on the red pickup truck across from him parked in front of a museum.

"Really?" he asked, frowning as he saw his parents' choice of activity, knowing it was the large banner reading "Space and Beyond Exhibit" advertising the new attraction that had opened that week that lured his father in. Will shook his head and crossed the street quickly, heading up the long staircase to the museum's entrance.

Once inside, Will sighed, feeling the cool relief of air conditioning, something they didn't have at the settlement. Taking a minute to ponder where in the large museum his parents would be, he approached the front desk, smiling at the older woman on the other side of the counter. "Hi," he said softly. "Do you guys happen to have a UFO exhibit?"

The woman smiled. "Well, this is New Mexico … there's UFO exhibits everywhere." She placed a museum map in Will's hand. "Make a right down there, it's just past the Navajo exhibit."

"Thanks," Will replied, taking off toward the path he was directed.

* * *

"Scully, take a look at this crap."

Dana Scully folded her arms over her chest, eyeing Mulder as he gestured to the supposed alien bones on display. "It calls them little 'green' men, Scully. Don't these people know by now that a Reticulan's skin tone is grey?"

"Mulder," Scully said, now frowning at him, "why are we here?"

"What, you're not having fun seeing all the manufactured lies our government promotes as education?" Mulder fained the hurt in his voice.

"I thought we might … do something … _not_ involving the paranormal for once."

"Well, Scully, this is New Mexico. UFO stuff is pretty much as common as cacti here."

"Mulder, can't we just … I don't know, do _anything_ else?" Scully was frustrated, her head tilted as she watched Mulder stand and cross toward her.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked suggestively. "I think I saw a nice spot we could go back there in the rainforest exhibit."

Scully rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go."

"Really?" Mulder asked, still teasing.

"Mulder …"

"Mom! Dad!"

They both stopped, turning to Will as he jogged up to them. The shock they felt at seeing him there, let alone without Cara, had registered on their faces. "William!" Scully said, moving toward him. "Is everything alright?"

Will nodded, still catching his breath. "Doggett called," he said, looking at Mulder. "Eric said he said it was urgent."

"Alright, let's get to a payphone," Mulder said, guiding Scully with his hand at the small of her back to follow Will out of the museum.

* * *

Brushing her long, dark hair over her shoulder, she smiled as she looked in the direction she knew Will had gone as he left the bar she was still in, satisfied with how she seemed to peak his curiosity. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, scrolling through it for a contact, pausing as she took a seat at the bar and waited for the person she dialed to answer. "Gin and tonic," she said softly to the bartender, smiling as she read his thoughts and watched him fulfill her drink order, knowing he, like Will, had fallen under the spell she cast naturally.

"Harry, it's me," she said softly, hearing the other person answer. "This will be easier than we thought. I think he remembers."

"Good," SAC Harry Klim replied over the line. "Now the goal is to gain his trust."

"That shouldn't be too hard," she replied.

"Perfect. And get me a location on Caraline English."

"Of course. But I'm confident I can get more than that."

"If we secure her before they do, we have a lot of negotiating room."

"Don't worry," she said, sipping her gin and tonic as she flashed a smile at the bartender. "I'll get more than you ever thought possible."


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

12:53 P.M. MST  
Downtown Farmington, NM

"Doggett."

"Doggett, it's Mulder."

Doggett sighed, pressing his cell phone closer to his ear. "Mulder, I think it's happening already," he said softly, pacing in a far corner of the Stevens Institute of Technology campus plaza as some summer students milled by him.

"What do you mean?" Mulder asked quickly, his expression worrying Scully, who stood close by him.

"Mulder, we've got 14 kids dead in Seaside Heights, New Jersey from what looks like radiation. Their bodies were burnt to a crisp. They're still trying to ID them using dental records at this point. We've gotten a couple of the victims' names, and so far it looks like they are all kids from the Stevens Institute of Technology campus."

Mulder shut his eyes. "The cave," he whispered, causing Scully to move in closer in an attempt to hear the conversation.

"Yeah, I think so. From what we were able to get from the only witnesses as far as a sketch, our suspect is Chad Wentworth, a student at SIT as well. Environmental Engineering. I'm headed over with some troopers to his parents' house now."

"Be careful," Mulder warned. "If he's there, it might not be such a good idea to confront him."

"What choice do we have, Mulder? This kid has to be stopped before more people die, if they haven't already. We've got to trace it back to the source."

"What about any professors on campus?" Mulder asked. "Maybe one or more of them rounded up some kids on campus to do their dirty work so they could start analyzing the spring?"

"I've got Monica and some other guys checking on some potential professors who might have a connection to things. Can I reach you back at this number?"

"No," Mulder grumbled, not willing to wait in front of a payphone. He glanced across the street to an electronics store. "I'm biting the bullet. I'll call you with my new cell number in a bit."

"You sure about that?" Doggett asked. "I thought you wanted to fly under the wire."

"I think if we keep flying under it, eventually we'll get eaten by the big fat cat," Mulder replied. "We need to start taking the advantage back."

"Well, as long as you're sure."

"They could find us whenever they want to anyway," Mulder explained. "Foregoing electronic connection is only providing us a false sense of security."

"Alright, I'll wait for your call, then."

Mulder hung up, seeing Scully next to him nearly bursting with unspoken questions. "We're getting cell phones," Mulder replied, nodding to Will. "You and Cara too."

"Mulder, what did he say?" Scully asked.

"It's happening. Someone's come into contact with the Purity from Sybil's Cave."

"Shit," Will said, his nostrils flaring as he turned away from his father and mother and looking out into the street, breathing deeply to try to control his anger.

"How many victims?" Scully asked quietly.

"Fourteen," Mulder replied solemnly, seeing Scully's eyes widen. "Looks to be kids from the SIT campus." Mulder glanced up at Will, whose back was turned to him. "There's nothing we could've done, William," he said softly, knowing his son was blaming himself for the deaths.

Will nodded softly, half-listening to his father as his eyes focused on a figure moving across the street. His heart stopped - it was her. She was headed away from them. Without hesitation, Will darted across the street, leaving Mulder and Scully behind as they called his name in confusion, watching their son pursue the woman.

"William!" Scully said, stepping to the curb and checking for traffic before running after him, Mulder in close pursuit.

As she disappeared into an alley, Will continued after her, convinced she was a bounty hunter and that she needed to be stopped. From a distance, he saw a large man approach the same alley only seconds after she went down it, and ran faster toward it, trying to save the man's life, so he thought.

As he rounded the corner, Will's eyes went wide when he saw the man grab her, attempting to drag her away to a waiting car. Reacting in the moment, Will lunged onto the man, ripping him off the woman's back easily as he fell backwards, the man landing on top of him with force. The man punched Will hard in the jaw, splitting his lip and causing blood to trickle down his face. Shoving him off of himself, Will rolled over, standing quickly as he saw the man aiming a gun at him. "Back off, hero," he said, cocking the gun.

Will was surprised as he saw the man's gun fly backwards into the alley, the woman next to him breathing deeply as she focused on the man's hand. It wasn't his mind that had moved the gun, but hers, and he was stunned as he looked at her, watching her with intensity as he now heard the police yelling behind him.

"Hands in the air!" they ordered, and Will rose them instinctively, his eyes fixed on the woman that had moved the weapon with her mind, who was defending him to the police.

"No, he's innocent," she said. "He tried to help me." She gestured to the other man who was on his knees, being cuffed by officers. "He's the creep with the gun."

The police eyed Will, then nodded, Will lowering his hands in response. He was frozen as he felt his parents presence near the barricade of officers behind him, unable to move his eyes from the woman who now stepped toward him. "I suppose I should thank you," she said softly, her blue eyes searching his brown ones.

"How … did you …" Will couldn't formulate a sentence.

"You know how I did it," she whispered. "The same way you do, William."

Will paused, his breathing heavy. "Who are you?" he asked gently, swallowing as she closed the gap between them. His head felt light and heavy at the same time, her presence making him both weak and energized. She was stunning - she was shorter than Cara, he figured just a bit taller than his mother, with a fit, curvaceous body that Will tried very hard to ignore, except it drew him like a magnet, as if she was magnetite embodied and he was powerless to her. Her dark hair curled in gentle waves at her chest as it draped over her shoulders, incredibly long dark lashes decorating her light blue eyes. Her lips were red and full, and he hated himself for noticing how soft they looked.

"My name is Joy LaHaye," she replied quietly, trying to be discreet as she glanced back at the police. "I was in the Project with you when we were children."

"What?" Will breathed.

Joy looked around her quickly, seeming to be paranoid about being followed. "William … I need your help."

"William!"

Will heard his parents' voices behind him as they now approached, the confusion written all over their faces. "William, what is going on?" Mulder demanded.

"Help with what?" Will asked Joy, ignoring his father's question.

"Are these your parents?" Joy asked, looking at Mulder and Scully.

"Yes," Will replied. "How … how do you exist?"

"She knows," Joy said, nodding to Scully. "My mother Patti got in contact with her before you were given up for adoption."

Mulder turned to Scully, who stared at Joy. "Oh my God," she whispered. "Is your name Joy?" she asked.

Joy nodded, which made Mulder surprised. "You're the other infant?" he asked.

She nodded again. "Yes. I'm … I'm not as strong as William, but I can move things with my mind like he can." Joy's eyes fell on Will, who was frozen as he continued to stare at her. Joy turned to Mulder and Scully. "William and I are the only two left from the original project. When I heard about him being tried for murder, I immediately started trying to track him. I feared for his safety. But along the way, I've attracted my own not-so-fan club."

"Bounty hunters?" Will asked softly.

"Yes," Joy said with a nod. "I … I thought you were one of them when you saw me before. I thought … you were planning on killing me. Then I saw you bleed and I knew you weren't."

"How do we know you aren't one?" Mulder asked.

With a sigh, Joy picked up a piece of glass from the ground, turning out of sight of the police and dragging it on her arm as it left a trail of bright red blood behind, which quickly healed itself. Mulder felt Scully's hand rest on his back, knowing she was just as shocked as he.

"What happened to your mother, Joy?" Scully asked. "And … shouldn't you be only eleven years old?"

"My mother is dead. And I was given the development serum, like William, at the compound," Joy explained. "By Doctor Riggs."

"Daniel Riggs?" Mulder asked, stunned.

"Yes. His brother in law, Timothy … he did the procedure on William, but refused to do any more after that. Before the Project collapsed, Riggs gave me the serum as well. He thought the odds were better with two of us rather than just William. At least … that's what he told me before he went missing. I haven't heard from him in a while now."

"Daniel Riggs is dead," Mulder said softly, seeing Joy's subtle hurt reaction.

"They got to him, didn't they?" she whispered.

"They're cleaning up their trails," Will said softly. "How do you remember?" he then asked. "They erased everyone's memories."

"I guess they didn't do too good of a job on me," Joy explained. "Some things I didn't remember until hypnosis, which I underwent because I had become depressed, but other things came to me in recurring nightmares."

"You said you needed help," Will said gently, nearly jumping as Joy took his hand, the rush of electricity and passion he felt from the heat of her hand almost unbearable.

"They've been trying to track me ever since things blew up with you," Joy replied softly. "I … I was hoping … you'd be able to shelter me for a while. I can tell you as much as I know about these people and … I can help keep your family safe."

Will nodded. "Of course," he said, moistening his lips as he stared at her.

"William, we need to talk," Mulder said firmly, gripping his son's shoulder and pulling him away from the two women. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked when they were enough distance away to be discreet.

"She's like me, Dad," Will replied. "Mom even knows."

"How can you be sure?" Mulder asked. "You're willing to trust her, just like that? A stranger?"

"She doesn't have marks, Dad. She can't hide them with what she's wearing, and she's not trying to," Will argued, glancing over at Joy, his eyes falling on the tight tank top she wore that revealed her neck as her hair was draped over her shoulder, instantly regretting both looking at her and what he felt stir inside of himself. "She bleeds," he continued, back to Mulder. " And she frickin' threw a gun across the alley without touching it." Will glanced back over at Joy, then to his father. "I know her, Dad. I … she was in the dream I was telling you about this morning."

Mulder's eyebrow arched. "Her?" he asked.

"Yes. I've had the dream for like two weeks now. If she was looking for me, maybe it was some kind of a sign or because of some kind of connection we share due to our genetic makeup." Will searched his father's eyes. "Dad, this might be the only way to know who is behind things so we know how to stop them."

Mulder sighed deeply, hating that Will might be at least partially right. "Where will she stay?"

"With me and Cara."

"You honestly think Cara is going to want to host her right now?"

"She could use the company other than me."

"What about the Hosteen's? How do you figure you can just invite people to stay in their settlement?"

"What am I going to do, let her be killed because of me?"

"If she's like you, William, then all that can kill her is magnetite."

"Which we now know is available in bullet form."

Will saw his father frown. "I don't know, William."

"You've got to let it go, Dad," Will said sharply. "You're not the only one in the world who can be right."

"I just don't want to see you make any mistakes that could cost you dearly," Mulder snapped softly, not wanting to alarm Scully.

"Trying to find a way to stop the bastards who are behind all of this so I can protect my wife and my unborn children doesn't sound like a mistake to me," Will replied, brushing past his father and back to Joy and Scully. "Joy," he said, "I'll take you back to the cabin. You can stay with me."

"Oh, no … I don't want to impose," Joy said softly. "I mean … isn't … um … Carly there with you?" she asked.

"Cara," Will corrected. "And she'll be fine with it."

"William-" Scully began, but was cut off by Will.

"Mom, it'll be fine," he interrupted. Will looked at Mulder, fishing out his wallet and giving him a wad of cash. "For the phones," he murmured. "I'll drive her back now." Will paused. "Do you have an issue with motorcycles?" he asked Joy, realizing his mode of transportation might not be her forte, Cara coming to his mind.

"I like bikes," Joy said with a flirtatious smile, her eyes fixed on Will. "It's a great day for open air riding."

"Alright, come on," Will said, seeming to be unphased with Joy's reply. "See you guys back at the settlement."

Scully, on the other hand, wasn't so oblivious to the subtle attention from the woman to her son. She watched them with an arched eyebrow as they headed back down the street to Will's motorcycle. "Mulder," she said softly, "why do I suddenly feel protective of Cara?"

"Probably for the same reason I do," Mulder replied, equally as concerned with Joy's implied interest in Will.

* * *

Wentworth Residence  
Wayne, NJ

03:49 P.M. EST

Doggett, accompanied by two state troopers, exited the squad car after parking in front of the Wentworth's house, shutting the door behind him as he turned toward the property. Carefully taking in his surroundings, Doggett led the way up the porch stairs to the massive colonial-style brick home, ringing the doorbell as he readied his identification. He paused, not hearing any sounds coming from inside the house, then knocked on the door loudly. "FBI, answer the door," he said, sighing at the silence he received in response. Glancing over to see that there was a car in the driveway, Doggett took out his gun, nodding to the trooper to give him the okay to kick open the door. After a silent countdown, the young trooper kicked the door open, Doggett filling the hallway first as he aimed his gun in front of him, cautiously looking around. "Mister and Missus Wentworth?" he asked, nodding the troopers to go the opposite direction. "Clear," he said, checking the living room alone as the two agents moved in toward the kitchen."

"Agent Doggett!"

Doggett turned quickly, rushing to the kitchen where the troopers were standing dumbfounded, their mouths open as they stared down at the floor. Doggett saw what they were looking at, his eyes widening at the two adults who were burnt to a crisp, evidence of radiation surrounding the area as it had on the beach.

Swallowing, Doggett asked, "Were there any other residents besides the kid and his parents?"

"No," the trooper said, shaking his head, "at least no one on record."

"When will forensics be here?"

"Ten minutes."

"Get me back to the campus," Doggett said with urgency. "This kid is eliminating all threats of exposure."

"Wait, what? You think the kid did this?"

"I know he did," Doggett replied. "Just get me to the campus."

"Yes, sir."

Whipping out his cell phone, Doggett quickly dialed Reyes, breathing deeply as he waited for her to answer. "Monica," he said when he heard her pick up, "we found the parents. They're dead. Burnt, like the others."

"There's nothing here, John," Reyes said softly over the phone, miles away from Doggett as she turned away from the professor she was questioning. "We questioned most of the professors that we could on campus that had any connection to Chad Wentworth."

"Did you go through them all?"

"No, there's only one left. A Doctor Nicholas Jenson."

"Alright, wait until I get there. I'll be there in a half-hour."

* * *

New York City, NY  
3:49 P.M. EST

"Is it true?" the toothpick man demanded as he shut the door to the private suite, the dark and dim atmosphere clouded with fresh cigar smoke.

"Yes," the dark-skinned man said with a small nod.

"Is the boy is still unaccounted for?" the toothpick man asked.

"Yes," the mustache man answered. "But we're attempting to track him."

"This is far too early," the toothpick man argued. "Who agreed to this?"

"The humans made their own decision to move faster than planned," the dark-skinned man replied.

"If we allow a public crisis, we will never receive buy-in from the humans to continue with the project!" the toothpick man nearly shouted.

"What has happened will have no outer significance to the project," the bounty hunter replied.

"If we let the agents expose any remote connection from these deaths to the cave, no matter how incredible the story, the project is finished," the toothpick man growled.

"So how do we control it?" the younger man asked.

"I'm not sure controlling it is the best answer," the bounty hunter replied calmly, eliciting anger from the toothpick man.

"You are not the head of this project!" the toothpick man sneered.

"Come now," the bounty hunter said, tilting his head as he eyed the toothpick man, "let's not squabble over the details."

"Clean this up," the toothpick man warned darkly, eyeing the bounty hunter. "I don't care what kind of personal score you're seeking to settle with William. Stick to the plan."

"They volunteered," the bounty hunter said with a smile. "I never forced anyone."

"Then we must seek to replace those who can control access," the toothpick man snapped "as well as those who will monitor the media."

"Mulder knows of the plans," the mustache man noted. "What's to say he won't try to stop things now that they have escalated?"

"I've got someone in place already taking care of Mulder," the toothpick man replied.

"Klim?" the mustache man asked, shaking his head. "Klim failed us! He should be eliminated!"

"He's using a resource," the toothpick man replied sharply. "A very valuable one. One William will not be able to resist."

"Joy?" the younger man asked.

"Her power is not like William's. What do we care of her?" the dark-skinned man said with a frown.

"She holds a different power," the bounty hunter replied. "The kind that will be very effective against William, leaving the Shield vulnerable."

"And she will eliminate Mulder?" the dark-skinned man asked.

"When the time is right," the bounty hunter replied. "Then we will eliminate Klim."

"What of Agents Doggett and Reyes? What do they know of the project?" the mustache man asked, taking a drag of his cigar.

"What we want them to," the toothpick man replied. "Even if Doggett and Reyes and even Scully were to work against us with Mulder, they will be unwilling to do what is necessary, should they even be successful getting to that point." The toothpick man eyed the bounty hunter. "Eliminate the boy, or I will have you eliminated."

"Is that a threat?" the bounty hunter asked, standing.

"If this goes to hell because of your vendetta with William, I'll kill you myself," the toothpick man warned, storming out of the room and slamming the door.

"I'd like to see you try," the bounty hunter replied softly after the toothpick man left with a smile.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

2:14 P.M. MST  
Shiprock Territory, NM

Her hands resting on her stomach, Cara watched the large ceiling fan spin above her head, becoming mesmerized by the wooden paddles that churned the air, forcing it down onto her warm skin. With nothing else to do for chores and with every book she and Will had read at least twice, Cara was left to think, which was something she wasn't all that comfortable with doing. Thinking meant analyzing things that she would rather leave undisturbed; rocking the boat of her mind usually only resulted in a sick heart from the abusive waves of emotion she would stir up.

In some ways, she felt Will's paranoia rubbing off on her as if it were a contagious disease and she now contracted it. The open windows were to allow air flow as well as the sound of a motorcycle engine to enter the home, which she waited patiently for. Cara stroked her stomach, knowing the pattern of her children by now was to sleep briefly in the mid-afternoon, and sometimes she joined them, the exhaustion from the increase of hormones sometimes getting the best of her.

As she silently wondered what the babies inside of her would look like, she shot up from her seat when she heard the roar of the bike's engine approaching the cabins, shutting her eyes in relief as she took in the sight of the black bike in the distance. _Will's alright, _she thought with happiness, worrying about him since the moment he left.

Quickly tying her long hair up into a ponytail, Cara stepped out on the porch and watched the motorcycle come closer, her lips parting in shock as she saw a second person on it - an attractive woman with her arms wrapped securely around her husband's chiseled waist, and not seeming the least bit bothered by the contact, but rather relishing it. As much as she tried to stop herself, a flood of anger and jealousy filled her, her hand finding her pregnant stomach, wondering if it was the reason Will had allowed the woman to touch him so intimately. _There are bars to hold on to, _she growled in her mind as she saw Will slow the motorcycle down. _And who the hell are you, anyway?! _

Will had opted to give the woman behind him the only helmet he had brought, and Cara watched in concealed rage as the woman's long, raven-dark hair shimmered as she removed it and shook it slightly. Cara didn't even realize Will had been calling her name since he got off the bike, still focused on the incredibly attractive woman as he jogged up the porch stairs, seeing the woman linger behind.

"Cara," Will said, taking her hands as he came to stand next to her, finally gaining her attention. She met his eyes, seeing the intensity of them for her, feeling him stroke her hands lovingly. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, the back of his fingers now finding her cheek.

"Who the hell is that?" Cara whispered, realizing her anger had made her react in a less than tactful way, knowing the woman probably heard at least her snippy tone if not her rude question as well.

"Her name is Joy," Will said, kissing her cheek, letting his lips linger a moment before he parted. "She was in the Project with me."

"How … how do you know?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Alright, let's get inside and I'll explain everything." He kissed her lips gently, slightly confused when she didn't reciprocate. "Cara, are you okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned as his hand landed on the back of her neck, stroking it.

"Yeah," she said softly, offering a small smile as a faux apology. "Sorry, I was just … confused … when I saw her."

"I missed you," Will whispered, pressing a kiss next to Cara's ear. "I can't wait to take you out tomorrow."

Seeing the genuine passion in his eyes as she looked at him, she smiled, feeling a little more relieved that she wasn't being replaced. "Hi, sorry," Cara said, glancing over at Joy. "I'm Cara. Come on, it's at least shaded in the house. I can't guarantee it's that much cooler, though."

"Hi, Cara," Joy said, coming up the stairs. "So nice to finally meet you. Will was raving about you." Joy's wide smile she gave to Will left Cara's stomach in a state of unrest.

"Will?" Cara said softly. No one from Will's "new life" had ever called him by that nickname, the only person consistent to use it was Cara, since it was what she always called him. It kicked her in the gut to hear another woman use what was a special term of endearment toward her husband, and she felt the anger rise up inside of her again that had been previously combated by Will's affection.

"Oh," Joy said, catching Cara's reaction, "sorry … I just thought that's what everyone calls him." She played the role of the innocent one, but Cara saw straight through the act and her eyes narrowed at her slightly.

"Will's fine," Will said, oblivious to the conflict that Cara had been affected by. "Come on," he said to Cara, "let's get you inside."

Cara allowed herself to be guided by Will, momentarily locking eyes with Joy, who stepped behind them. Every possible symbol of warning appeared in her mind as she looked at the woman's blue eyes. Red flags, neon signs, smoke signals, SOS, and police distress calls flooded her psyche, and she felt her throat go dry, breaking contact with her eyes quickly and clutching her womb protectively as she entered her home.

"Are you thirsty, Joy?" Cara asked suddenly, making a break for the kitchen, "I'll get you some water."

"Oh, thanks," she heard Joy say softly as she fled, grabbing her husband's hand and dragging him with her.

Once in the privacy of the kitchen, she nearly slammed Will against the sink, breathing heavily as she checked over her shoulder. She turned the faucet on, letting the water run fast from the pipes as she grabbed Will's hands. "Will," she breathed very softly, trying to keep her words secret, "Will, there's something wrong."

"With the babies?" Will asked, his eyes wide.

"No," Cara said, shaking her head, "with her." She saw Will's slow frown form on his face. "Will," she said quickly as the water kept running behind them, "I'm not making this up. There's … there's something … there's something wrong with her and-"

"Cara," Will interrupted, filling an empty glass with water and shutting it off, turning back to look his wife deep in the eyes, "I know … I know it's hard to trust something like this, but right now I'm asking you to." His tone was quiet, serious. "Do you think you can do that for me?" Cara shut her eyes, still hearing all of the warnings screaming in her minds, choosing to lean her head in silence against Will's chest. "I think my paranoia has done more than screw me up," Will murmured into her hair, kissing her head. "Come on."

Gripping the water glass in one hand and Cara's hand in the other, Will led Cara back out to the living room, where Joy was standing. She smiled politely at Cara as Will handed her the water. "Thanks," she said, making contact with Will's hand as she took the glass. Will hadn't realized that his attempt to mask the spark of energy Joy's touch caused to course through him resulted in him squeezing Cara's hand, as if he were trying to alleviate pain. Cara was stunned as Joy sat in a single chair across from them; she had caught the small, hitched breath Will took when the woman's fingers touched his hand and felt his reaction, her mind now spinning as she thought back to how Wesson's touch made her feel.

"Who are you?" Cara blurted, biting her lip in regret as she saw Will's reaction to her impulsive and awkward question. "Sorry," Cara mumbled, "I mean, who … who worked on you at the compound?"

"Daniel Riggs," Joy replied, sipping her water. "Your father was against utilizing both of us, but Daniel thought it would only help having more of us around." The smile she shot Will made Cara nauseous and livid.

"Riggs didn't know how to do the tests," Cara replied darkly. "My father was the only one who ever conducted the experiments."

"Well, Daniel did," Joy replied, looking at Cara. "Just before the Project ended."

"Riggs sold my father out," Cara said, her eyes narrowing.

"There's no proof of that," Joy replied.

"I don't need proof," Cara growled.

"Well, he was your uncle."

"I believe my father."

"Alright," Will said, trying to break the tense situation he saw developing between the two women, his eyes focused on Cara. "What matters is that Joy, you know the people currently behind things, right?" His gaze shifted to Joy, who was still looking at Cara.

"Yes," she said softly, smiling at Will. "I want to help you both by giving you inside information."

"Why would you have inside information?" Cara asked, clearly not convinced.

"Cara-" Will tried to start, but was interrupted by Joy.

"No, it's okay," Joy said softly. "I can understand how … odd this is. I mean, here I am, after so many years, finally finding Will and coming at such an intense time. But you both are so generous to let me stay in your home. I'm … well, I hope there's some way I'm able to thank you for that." She smiled warmly to Will, letting her eyes linger on him.

"Well, uh …" Will felt himself being glared at by Cara.

"You're staying here?" she asked softly, not concerned for her abrupt rudeness her question showed, her eyes wide as she stared at Will.

"I know we have the extra room and-" Will tried to explain.

"That's our _nursery_!" Cara nearly yelled. "That's for our _children_!"

"Joy," Will said, standing, grabbing Cara's hand and pulling her up with him, "would you excuse us please?"

"Sure," Joy said softly, not watching as Will pulled Cara into the bedroom across the way, smiling against her water glass she drank out of.

Once inside the bedroom, Will slammed the door, facing Cara. "What is going on?" Will asked, his voice low yet harsh.

"Maybe I'm just a little baffled at how you have the audacity to make a decision like this for me!" Cara replied, matching his tone.

"Cara, the woman is being pursued by bounty hunters! What did you want me to do? Throw her to the wolves?"

"If she's like you, Will, then why isn't she reacting to the magnetite without the herbs?" Cara paused, seeing Will's silence. "Huh?"

"Maybe magnetite doesn't affect her the same way," Will replied.

"Wake up, Will!" Cara said, grabbing his arm. "This is all a little too convenient. She just _happens_ to be waltzing around New Mexico, supposedly looking for you. How did you come across her anyway?"

"She was being mugged," Will snapped. "I helped her."

"Yeah, I bet you loved that," Cara growled, turning away from Will.

"Hey!" Will said, grabbing Cara and forcing her to look at him. "What the hell are you saying?"

"Please," Cara snapped back, "I'm not an idiot, Will. I saw the way you reacted to her. It's not like she's a fucking nun!"

Will stopped, licking his lips as he shook his head at Cara, eyeing her in disbelief. "Really, Cara?" he said softly. "Really? That's what this is about?" He blinked slowly. "You're jealous?"

"I am _NOT _jealous!" Cara said firmly, pulling her arm out of Will's grasp. "She just doesn't add up, Will."

"You didn't even give her a chance to!" Will replied angrily.

"I don't need to!"

"Oh, so _you're_ the all-knowing one now, right? You're just like my father!"

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing!"

"I brought her here so she could help me find out who the bastards are behind all this so I can protect _YOU,_" Will said, his mouth close to Cara's face.

"Oh, well, my apologies. I forgot I'm not capable of helping you or defending myself anymore." Cara's tone made Will instantly regret his words.

"Cara-" Will said, grabbing her arm as she turned away from him.

"Let go of me," Cara said darkly, eyeing Will, seeing the rage in his eyes.

"No," he said, gripping her arm tighter.

"I said," Cara yanked her arm away from Will, her breathing heavy as she glared at him, "_let go._"

Will grabbed her arm again, this time knowing he had actually used some of his inhuman strength, seeing her wince. "I'm not letting you go, Cara," he said softly, his voice firm. "We're going to deal with this."

They stared at each other for a long moment, each seeing the distress in the other's eyes as the silence hung between them. "She goes," Will said gently after a deep sigh, loosening his grip on her arm. "You're all I care about, Cara," he murmured. "You and our children. You three mean more to me than anything. You're everything to me. If she needs to leave, then she goes."

Feeling guilty after seeing how Will's expression was so genuinely pained, his words sinking into her heart, Cara shook her head gently. "No," Cara whispered, closing her eyes. "You need to know what she does."

"I don't want her to make you uncomfortable," Will said gently, running his fingers up her neck, the tips of them digging into the top of the loose ponytail she sported.

"I … I'm just scared, Will," Cara said, her eyes still closed as she let Will touch her, his warmth soothing her.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Will murmured, pressing a kiss on Cara's forehead. "She goes."

"No." Cara finally opened her eyes to look at Will, feeling both of his hands cradling her head. "No." She inhaled deeply, leaning her head into his warmth. "It's okay. She can stay."

"Are you sure?" Will asked, his thumb now stroking her cheek as his hands still held her head. He felt her nod against him, then pulled her to his chest, burying his face in the top of her hair as she closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat slow steadily as he relaxed. She felt his fingers gently tug the elastic band from her hair, massaging her scalp after he took out her ponytail. "Come on," Will said gently, guiding Cara to their bed, pulling back the sheet.

"Will?" she asked confused.

"I'll be right back," Will whispered. "I just want to hold you. We're all tired and probably can use a siesta. This is New Mexico, afterall. I mean, when in Rome, you know?" His crooked smile made Cara want to cry from exhausted emotion. "Just let me tell her she can camp out on the couch, okay? Then I'll be back."

Cara nodded, climbing into bed as she saw Will slip out of the bedroom, holding her womb as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the voices of her unborn children who violently objected to Joy's stay in their home.

* * *

"Sorry about that," Will said softly as he approached Joy. "She's just exhausted."

"It's okay," Joy replied. "I … I think she might be right. I mean, I don't want to cause any trouble by staying here. I can get a motel in town."

"No, really. It's okay." Will sighed. "Is the couch alright? We only have cribs in the other room anyway."

"The couch is fine," Joy said.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I've … well, I haven't been sleeping well and I know Cara hasn't either, so …"

"Go ahead." Joy smiled. "I could use some rest, too."

"Help yourself to our food and drinks, though we only have water, milk, coffee and beer."

"Thanks. I really appreciate this. When, um, you wake up, maybe we can go over things?" Joy asked. Will nodded, turning for the bedroom, Joy's added statement stopping him momentarily. "She's a lucky woman … you know, to have you."

She caught Will's slight glance backward at her, smiling as she watched him disappear into the bedroom. After a few moments passed, she took out her cell phone, smiling wider as she sank onto the couch, now creating a text message quickly:

**I'm in. She's here. William is resistant, but I'll break him.**

With her eyes locked on the hallway Will disappeared down, she looked down at her phone when she felt it vibrate with an incoming text message:

**Perfect. The sooner we get Caraline, the better.**

* * *

Stevens Institute of Technology  
Hoboken, NJ  
4:21 P.M.

"John."

Doggett turned, hearing the voice belonging to Reyes, seeing her now approach him down the hall of the campus building. "Doctor Jenson's office is in room 208. He only has office hours until 4:30."

"Alright, let's go."

Approaching room 208 after a few moments of searching, Doggett knocked on the door. "Doctor Jenson?" he asked. "This is Agent Doggett from the FBI."

The door opened, Doctor Jenson looking at the two agents. "Oh, hello. Of course. I'd love to speak with you. I'm in with a student at the moment, would you mind waiting?"

"Not at all," Doggett said, nodding as Doctor Jenson shut the door. He looked over at Reyes. "What connection does he have?" he asked softly.

"He's Chad's professor in his Methods of Transportation class he's enrolled in this summer," Reyes replied.

Doggett nodded. "I'm no engineer, but I'd assume it's a class about sustainable development?"

"Yes. The course description reads: 'Transportation provides assistance to economic growth by making accessibility to resources and markets. It also improves quality of life linking persons to employment, health, education, recreation and other amenities. Thus, transportation plays a key role in economic and social development. Nevertheless, it has many spillover effects such as congestion, safety, pollution and non-renewable resource depletion. The concept of sustainable transportation can be derived from the general sustainable development term that embraces all sectors of human activity. Efficacious and sustainable transportation is a key component to well-functioning and civilized societies.'"

"Sounds like Jenson might someone who would be interested in naturally-sourced water," Doggett commented, seeing Reyes nod in response.

The door to Doctor Jenson's office opened, and Doggett and Reyes stood, seeing Doctor Jenson smile at the student, whose back was still turned to them. "Thanks for your questions. Good luck on the exam," the doctor said, watching as the student turned and left.

Both Doggett and Reyes were shocked when they saw the student who was leaving was Chad Wentworth.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"Chad Wentworth?" Doggett asked, stopping the student, receiving a confused look in response.

"Uh, yeah?" Chad said, perplexed at the stranger who knew his name.

"Chad, we're Agents Doggett and Reyes from the FBI. We're going to have to ask you to come down to the police station with us for some questioning."

"Whoa, wait ... what?" Chad said, shocked.

"Chad, we have reason to believe you may have been involved in the deaths of fourteen of your fellow students as well as your parents," Reyes explained.

"Hold on," Chad said, his eyes wide. "My ... parents?!"

Doggett glanced at Reyes for a minute, then looked back down to Chad. "Chad, let's just go downtown so we can talk, alright?"

"John," Reyes said, staying behind as Doggett began to leave with Chad. "What about Doctor Jenson?"

"We were just questioning him to find Chad," Doggett replied. "No need to question him anymore, really."

With hesitation, Reyes followed Doggett as he led Chad to their car to drive him to the Hoboken Police Station for questioning. Halfway down the hall, Reyes stopped, shaking her head. "John, I need to just ask him a few things. I'll catch a ride with a trooper back to the station."

Doggett nodded, then continued guiding Chad until they disappeared out of sight through the campus hall doors. Backtracking down the hall, Reyes intercepted Doctor Jenson before he could lock his office. "Hi, Doctor Jenson," she said with a smile. "I'm Agent Monica Reyes from the FBI. Would it be possible to ask you a few questions before you leave for the day?"

"Of course," Doctor Jenson said, smiling. "I'll just unlock my office."

Reyes felt cautious as she watched Doctor Jenson carefully unlock his door, his back to her as she rested her hand on the gun on her hip in the unclipped holster. "Please," he said, opening the door, smiling as she stepped into the room. He shut the door behind them and gestured to the empty chair across from his desk. "Have a seat," he said, and Reyes complied, keeping her eyes locked on the doctor. "How can I help you?" he asked.

"Doctor Jenson, are you aware that your student Chad Wentworth is suspected of murdering 16 people, two of which are his parents?" Reyes asked, her weight shifting as she made sure she had access to her gun. Her gut was telling her something wasn't right, yet she couldn't figure out what.

"My God," Doctor Jenson replied, shock on his face. "No, no … I … I'm not aware of that at all."

"So then Chad hasn't been missing from class lately?"

"No, he's been in regular attendance since the beginning of the summer session," Doctor Jenson said.

"Has Chad appeared to be struggling in any way?"

"Well," the doctor said, pausing, "Chad isn't the type of student to fully apply himself, but I have seen him making great strides as of late."

"What about personally?"

The doctor smiled softly. "It's college, so they say, but even still, it can often feel like middle school with the petty cliques and social wars that occur on campus."

"In your opinion, would it be possible that Chad would to want to hurt his classmates?"

"I'm not sure I can answer that. I mean, after all … we all hold the possibility, don't we?"

The doctor's intense, direct eye contact unnerved Reyes, but she kept her cool on the outside. "Doctor, did you assign your students any special extra credit projects this semester involving recovery of samples from Sybil's Cave?"

"Yes," Doctor Jenson said. "SIT is currently working with the state department on a project to re-open the site, the focus being the beautiful spring water found in the cave. Our students are assisting the state as an extra-credit opportunity in gathering raw materials for analysis in anticipation for sourcing the water from the site."

"Was Chad one of them?"

"Yes. He and his classmate, Kenny Greenwood."

"Has Kenny been attending class?"

"Yes." The doctor looked at Reyes, still appearing confused. "I'm sorry, what does this have to do with the project? I mean … it's absolutely tragic to hear about those deaths. I … I have official clearance from the state to use student volunteers for material transportation, if that's what you're looking for."

"No, Doctor," Reyes said. "That won't be necessary." She stood, giving him a quick smile. "Thanks, I appreciate your time."

"You're quite welcome," the doctor said, standing with her, watching as she saw herself out. As he shut off the lights, locking the office door behind himself, he took a glance over his shoulder, seeing Reyes now in the distance near the doors Doggett had left through earlier. He blinked slowly, the black oil filling his eyes as he observed her with a small smile.

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
3:39 P.M. MST

She had allowed herself to sleep for about twenty minutes, she assumed, but it wasn't nearly enough to take the edge off of how Cara felt. She willingly subjected herself to being spooned tightly by Will behind her, enjoying the closeness of the contact and the security his presence gave her though he was fast asleep. His large hand had snaked its way under her shirt where it had spent time rubbing circles over her rounded stomach as he first gently eased her to sleep, then allowed himself to relax. Now, his arm's weight rested on her fully, the strong muscles loose as she felt the rhythmic dance of his soft, warm breath on her neck from his nose.

She didn't want to disturb this precious moment, for both selfish reasons and unselfish ones. She knew Will wasn't sleeping well at all since most likely she was kidnapped, often feeling and hearing him bolt from his sleep as he was continuously plagued with nightmares that eventually gave him a form of insomnia. He would always go to bed with her, but she knew he rarely actually fell asleep straight away, his worries and fears for the future haunting him endlessly through the night.

When they first became intimate that early morning in the motel room, Cara saw how Will's originally reclusive behavior immediately shifted, drawing her in deeply as he gave everything of himself to her both emotionally and physically. His strong sense of passion had not only manifested itself in the law and justice, but now in every aspect of her. Though she knew she was currently very pregnant and felt bloated and unattractive, the way he now held her in his sleep made her feel wanted and desired as he pressed up against her, feeling his incredible body even through the jeans and tee shirt he wore. She suddenly became very aware of him as he shifted even closer, feeling the results of his body's approval of their current state, causing her to gasp softly.

Perhaps it was irrational for Cara to be so consumed with jealousy, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the door that separated her and the man she loved from the woman on the other side who seemed to want what she had, the woman's desire plain as day. Maybe it was this jealousy that allowed Cara to feel even more secure in the way she was now being embraced, knowing Will's pleasure was caused by her and not Joy LaHaye. _At least, I think it is, _she thought. As the possibility of Will dreaming about another woman crossed her mind, Cara instantly panicked, stiffening in his arms with dread.

Will must have felt the sudden tension in her body, responding with his own tense grip as he bolted from his sleep. "What's wrong?" he asked her quickly, his thick hair wild from being pressed on the pillow.

"Nothing," Cara said softly, trying to look back at Will as she lay on her side. "I'm sorry I woke you."

She felt his deep sigh against her back as he repositioned himself against her, pressing his warm lips on her neck in gentle kisses. "Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked.

"I did," she replied, feeling his hand sliding over her stomach and onto her hip, his fingers tracing lazy circles as he kissed her.

"You should sleep more," he murmured, continuing to kiss her.

She knew his gentle tenderness was an extension of his love for her as much as it was him trying to induce her body to relax from its still tense state. "Will," she whispered, hating the thought of being _that girl_ that she swore never to be. She decided humor was the best approach to helping her at least feel somewhat better. "Is that a flashlight in your pocket?"

"No," she heard him say, his voice breathy as his lips moved lower to her collarbone, following the curve of her shoulder. "It's the president of your fan club." Will smiled against her skin as he felt Cara's soft laugh at his response. "The president would like to know if the next fan appreciation conference is coming up soon," he whispered, still smiling against her as he kissed her. "He's pretty anxious for it."

"I don't have anything booked right now," Cara whispered, her eyes still on the door, "but I think we might have to wait until the location is available again."

"What's wrong with the current one?" Will murmured.

"There's … not enough space."

"Ah."

Cara felt herself being pulled over onto her back gently by Will, then rolled to her side to face him. He immediately brushed a kiss on her lips, moaning softly as she kissed him back. "I don't have to read your thoughts to know your fear," he whispered when they parted. "It's you, Cara. It's always been you. From the minute you told me seven years ago you were going to put vinegar and cactus juice on my face to reduce the swelling after I was knocked around by Charlie Kowalski and his crew, I knew I had to have you. Though, after I let you smear that crap on me, I lied about how it helped. I remember seeing the happiness in your eyes, thinking you had healed me, that you helped me. I've regretted that lie to this day. I was barely sure myself of what I was capable of then, let alone trying to explain it to you." He tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling the softness of her neck. "But Cara, it's always been you … and I wouldn't let anyone else have you." Will laughed. "It sounds kind of stalkerish when I say it like that, I guess."

She wasn't concerned, though. "But I did date, Will."

"I know. But those idiots never actually had you."

"... Some did," she murmured, hoping Will wouldn't be disappointed.

He wasn't. "Not the way I do," he explained. "I've always had you. You've always been mine. And I've always been yours." He smiled gently when he saw her close her eyes, realizing what he was saying. "Nothing will ever change that. Nothing."

Cara reached across the very short distance to meet her lips with his. "If I didn't have this giant belly, I'd give you your conference right now," she said with a smile.

"Just say the word and I'm checking in."

Cara shook her head. "I can't. Not … knowing …"

"Then I'm kicking her ass out right now," Will whispered, his hand slipping under the waistband of Cara's shorts.

"No, Will," Cara said firmly yet gently as she pulled his wandering hand upward, which relocated itself back on top of her shorts over her hip. "You mean … you're not attracted to her?" she asked hesitantly.

"As a red-blooded male, I can honestly say no," he replied, his tone serious. "But in much the same way as you described your physical connection to Wesson, then I have to say yes."

She appreciated his honesty. "Do you think it's a genetic predisposition to … want her?"

"Listen to me," Will said firmly, correcting Cara, "I don't want anyone but you."

"But you just said-"

"Cara, it's like … a meaningless attraction. It's empty. Shallow. Hollow. There's nothing to it beyond the mere surface, and it even feels like it's out of my control, like it's not my choice. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," she replied with a nod.

"Whereas you … God, Cara, you consume my mind good, bad and indifferent twenty-four-seven. I swear sometimes I feel powerless when I look at you. I feel you so deeply inside of me. I always have."

"If I didn't already know you weren't fully human, I'd ask you if you were."

"I mean it. Every bit of it." Will kissed her forehead. "I'm the luckiest bastard I know. I've got perfection embodied in you and now I've got not one, but two beautiful miracles on the way."

"Will, are you trying to make my hormones go insane?"

"No, but is it working?"

"Yes."

"Then let's book a conference room …"

Cara froze midway through the passionate kiss she shared with Will, hearing the sudden knock coming from the distance on the front door. "Will," she breathed, seeing him nod and he kissed her cheek, rolling reluctantly out of bed and disappearing on the other side of the door, clicking it gently shut behind him as he left. She sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to stand not knowing what was going on, and she sat up from the bed, smoothing her hair as she exited the bedroom.

Her eyes instantly fell on Joy when she stepped out of the hallway, making her feel queasy and bitter as she watched her sitting there, smiling as Mulder stepped into the house, Will closing the front door behind him and Scully.

Sensing her discomfort, Scully crossed to Cara, smiling warmly at her. "Hi," she said softly, "you okay?"

"I'm fine," Cara replied, sighing as she saw Joy's gaze linger on Will, who was preoccupied with the cell phones Mulder handed him, feeling like she wanted to leap across the room and attack her.

"Are you alright with this arrangement?" Cara heard her mother in law ask.

"I'm alright as long as she keeps her distance," she said, gritting her teeth as she turned her eyes away from Joy.

"How are the little ones?" Scully asked, taking Cara's hand and holding it gently.

"They're little monkeys. They barely ever rest."

"It's a 'round the clock kind of thing for a while."

"Will you help me?" Cara saw Scully's genuine surprise at her question. "I … I just … I don't really know what I'm doing."

"You're already a wonderful mother," Scully said gently. "But of course. I'm here for you both whenever you need me."

"Does that include hiring you to kill?" Cara asked, only half-joking as she glanced back over at Joy.

"If she tries anything, you won't have to hire me for it," Scully replied, her tone firm and serious as she, too, looked over at Joy.

"Hey," Will said, coming up to Cara, pressing an iPhone into her hand. "They got an iPhone and a Samsung for us, so I knew which one you'd want." He gently kissed her cheek, then kissed his mother's as well. "We're about to dive into this case. What do you both want to drink?"

"Coffee," Scully replied. "I have a feeling I'll need it." She smiled at Cara as she headed for the sofa.

"I'll come with you," Cara said to Will, smiling back at Scully as she took a seat beside Mulder, who wrapped his long arm around her small frame lovingly.

"So, Joy," Mulder said, eyeing the young woman who sat across from them, "you said you were in the original project with William. Who was behind the project?"

"Mainly the NSA," Joy replied, crossing her legs. "People like my father, who didn't have real names on paper, who didn't really exist."

"Then how did you acquire the inside information?"

"Daniel Riggs was in contact with my father for other business. Since he was a chemist, I assume the NSA found plenty of ways to utilize his skills. Daniel found out about me through my mother, Patti. That's when he offered to bring me into the compound, where he knew William was being brought."

"So Daniel Riggs was your informant?" Scully asked.

"Yes." Joy paused. "Being as my father died when I was an infant and my mother died shortly after they took me to the compound, he really became my only source of family."

"Do you feel a weakening here?" Mulder asked.

"Do you mean from the magnetite?" Joy asked, her eyes catching Scully's, which narrowed at her as she digested her implied meaning. "Yes, but I came prepared." She picked out a bottle of pills from her bag she brought with her to the cabin, showing Scully first, who examined the bottle.

"Deferasirox," Scully read, pausing as the gears turned quickly in her mind. "Deferasirox is to treat hemochromatosis."

"What's hemochromatosis?" Mulder asked.

"It's a genetic disorder of the body absorbing too much iron that results from inheriting two mutated HFE genes, the common mutations being either C282Y or H63D." Scully handed the bottle back to Joy. "Could William take this as well for resistance against magnetite?"

"I'm sure he could. Maybe at a higher dose since his strength makes him more vulnerable," Joy replied, stowing the bottle in her bag. "What does he do now?"

"A native herbal treatment," Mulder answered, visibly thinking hard. "So Joy, if you can take those pills and be unaffected, for the most part, by magnetite, what's to say that these can't be taken by replacements to infiltrate a place like this?"

"Nothing," Joy said softly, seeing the shift in both Mulder and Scully at her reply. "That's why I figured if I could at least help with inside information, then my purpose has been served no matter what happens to me."

"I guess we'll be getting company soon," Mulder said dryly, knowing Joy most likely read the fear in his mind.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Will and Cara re-entered the room, Will carrying one of the two mugs of coffee for his parents, which he handed to Scully as Cara handed one to Mulder, and a glass of water for Joy, which he set down gently in front of her before she could extend her hand to take it. His actions were intentional - he didn't want to feel the heat Joy's hands contained that surged through him, causing his mind to shift to her when his heart desired Cara. He hated the way he felt weak around her, like he was a puppet on strings, her gripping the cords with flirtatious power. It was as if his mind and his body separated, primal urges dominating all reason whenever she was near him.

The last drink he held tucked under his arm was his beer, which he twisted the top off to and took a long swig of the amber lager as he felt Cara sit next to him, his free hand finding her bare short-clad thigh and possessively claiming it. "What'd we miss?" he asked, still gripping the beer as he looked at Mulder, feeling Joy's eyes burning through him.

"Joy was just about to give us some inside information," Mulder said, looking back over to the dark-haired woman.

"Harry Klim," Joy said, her eyes still focused on Will. "Remember him?"

"Oh yeah," Mulder said, groaning softly. "What's his angle?"

"He's bent on securing Cara for the Colonists," Joy replied, shifting her focus to Cara. "He wants to be able to use her as a barter to be spared."

"How do you know this?" Will asked, feeling defensive over the idea Joy had suggested.

"Klim was an associate of my father's in the FBI before he joined the NSA," Joy explained.

"I thought your father died when you were an infant," Cara said, not convinced.

"He did. The information I have is from Daniel."

"So we're basically getting information that's coming from the man who betrayed the Project to begin with?" Cara was getting angry, feeling duped. "What's to say this isn't bullshit he concocted?"

"Why would he do that?" Joy asked, accepting Cara's challenge. "He died for the information I'm telling you. The last time I spoke with him, he told me everything I'm telling you. So if he was out to 'get' anyone, it wouldn't make sense for him to risk everything to do it."

"So Klim is working with the Colonists," Mulder said, interrupting the fight he was observing to redirect the energy toward him. "Anyone else?"

"They're all over," Joy said, her eyes lingering on Cara for a moment before shifting to Mulder. "From high levels of government down to local sheriffs. They're using replacements now. Before they had allied themselves with some humans but found the results to be less than desirable."

"And now with the deferasirox, the possibilities are endless," Scully added softly.

"What's deferasirox?" Will asked, leaning in toward his mother.

"A medicine that can potentially suppress magnetite absorption in replacements," she answered, nodding to Joy. "It helps Joy against the force of the deposits."

Will's eyes shifted to Joy. "Do the people in charge of this have their hands on deferasirox?" he asked softly, beginning to feel less safe in the cabin he once considered a refuge.

"I don't know," Joy replied, sighing. "It's the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question."

"If they do," Cara said, looking down at the floor, "then there's no way to kill them."

"That isn't true," Joy corrected. "Magnetite still kills us, even with deferasirox. But it takes much more than usual."

"How much more is much more?" Will asked.

"Double, maybe even triple."

"What about bullets with magnetite in them?"

"Not sure."

"So," Mulder said, after sipping his coffee, "Klim is a double agent, basically. For them and for himself."

"Yes," Joy confirmed. "He's got a network of people he's building, at least that's what Daniel told me before he died."

"Do you have names?"

"Only a few. Judge Douglas M. Waters is one."

"Lovely," Will mumbled, recalling the judge who ruled to have him put to death.

"Who else?" Mulder asked.

"There's one guy I never could find much on. A sheriff named Billy Miles," Joy said.

Scully gasped and Mulder leaned forward, his eyes intense as he looked at Joy. "Billy Miles?" he breathed, feeling his heart rate climb.

Joy nodded slowly. "Yeah. Who is he?"

"He's a multiple abductee, now a super soldier."

"Shit," Will said, his eyes fixed on his parents as he listened.

"He tried to kill you before you were born," Mulder said to Will softly. "For whatever reason, he let you live after Scully delivered you."

"Well, doesn't seem to be that way now," Will mumbled. "Does he die with magnetite?"

Scully nodded. "We think so, at least," she said.

Will turned to Joy. "Where is he located?" he asked.

"Last I heard from Daniel, in Casper, Wyoming. But … he said that was years ago," Joy replied.

"He was looking for me," Will murmured, deep in thought as he closed his eyes. "He was looking for my adoptive parents."

"If that's where you're from, then more than likely, yes."

_A surge of images flash into his mind's eye, jumbled like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that had yet to be put together. He saw the faces of his adoptive parents, worried expressions on their faces as they watched a three-year-old-Will moving his toy trucks with his mind, the scene he had imagined as a mere child coming to life on its own without him touching anything. He saw the dark eyes of a young man with brown hair in a sheriff's uniform stare at him intently from behind a pane of glass as his adoptive parents pleaded with the agency to medicate him. He saw a set of clear, blue eyes belonging to a man with dirty blonde hair that was peppered with grays, eyes that were so familiar as they seemed to smile at him - they were kind eyes. He remembered the pain of the development serum - the mind-splitting headaches from the rapid growth and the ache of his body as his entire being was changed against his will. He remembered the table he sat at across from the men in suits who tested him on the secrets of their minds, fearing all of the hidden things they didn't ask him to reveal that he still came to know._

Will jumped, gasping as he opened his eyes, swallowing hard as he felt Cara's hands on him. Her voice was somewhere in the distance, begging him to tell her he was okay. It was then that he felt Joy's eyes directly on him, and he met them with his own, for the first time feeling as if he was the person whose mind was being entered into instead of the person who entered into others.

"Will!" Cara repeated, desperate to know what had just happened. She saw Will's eyes shift to her; he was still breathing heavily.

"Billy Miles," Will whispered, swallowing to quench his dry throat. "He killed them."

"You remembered your past," Cara said softly, glancing at Joy, who was still staring at him. Cara ran her hand along Will's hairline on his forehead, gently caressing him as she saw the pain registered on his face.

"Yeah," Will murmured, looking at his mother and father. "He'll come for me now," he said to them softly. "If it weren't for Cara, he probably would have already been here."

Mulder's jaw tightened, looking into his son's eyes. "Let's hope he doesn't have deferasirox."

"At this point, I think we have to assume they all do," Will replied.

A moment of silence hung in the air before Scully spoke. "Who else is there?" she asked.

"The only other name I have is a Doctor Nicholas Jenson," Joy replied.

"Where is he?"

"Not sure." Joy glanced at Will. "It's only a matter of time before they send replacements ready to endure the magnetite if they do have deferasirox. They could be anywhere, or anyone. Right now, the safest place is here, still, considering the deposits. Leaving now wouldn't be wise."

"Well," Will said, taking Cara's hand and kissing it, "I've got a date with my wife tomorrow that I'm not planning on missing for anything." His eyes were focused at Joy, his jaw tensed.

"Exposing yourself could be dangerous," Joy countered.

"Your life is far more important than a date, Will," Cara said softly, feeling Will's tight grip on her hand and seeing the odd mixture of tension and lust between Will and Joy.

"I've sat around here long enough," Will replied, his eyes still on Joy. "Like my father said, if we fly any lower under the radar, we're going to crash." Tearing his eyes away from her, Will took a long drink from his beer, trying to ignore the mind games seeing Joy's face caused.

The room fell eerily quiet, the five adults not knowing what to say for a moment as they each pondered the possibility of there being no safe haven against the weapons created by the government and the aliens. Cara felt herself jump a little when a knock came on the front door, and her hand was released from Will's as she watched him answer the door, unable to see who it was.

Eric Hosteen nodded at Will, not seen or heard by the group still in the living room. "Young Fox," he said softly. "The elders have requested your presence tonight. Your father's too."

"Is everything alright?" Will asked.

"They are concerned with a vision John has had. They would like to discuss it with you and Fox. We are to bless the hogan in two hours, just before supper. After, I can watch Shima if you would like."

"You won't be there?"

"Someone has to make sure Shima stays out of trouble," Eric said softly. "It might be a long night."

Will glanced over at Cara, who he knew was out of earshot of the conversation, as were his parents and Joy. "I appreciate you looking after her."

"We'll pretend I'm not. You know Shima is headstrong and doesn't feel she needs it. Tell her Rebecca wants company." Eric matched Will's small smile. "Who is the raven woman?" he then asked softly. Will knew Eric most likely had spotted her coming up to the cabin, Joy's figure occupying a seat near a window.

"I'm trying to figure that out right now," Will replied. Eric nodded, turning and descending down the porch as Will shut the door. He drank from his beer again, polishing it off as he stood in silence, curious about the vision John had. He hated to admit that he scanned Eric's mind for some details but was disappointed when he saw nothing in his thoughts. Even John's blood wasn't privy to that information yet. Will snuck into the kitchen quickly, grabbing another beer and twisting the top off as he crossed back into the living room, sinking down beside Cara.

"What happened?" Cara asked.

"The elders want to meet with us tonight," Will explained, looking at his father. "John had a vision."

"What about?" Mulder asked.

"Eric didn't say."

Scully glanced over at Cara. "Girl's night?" she asked with a smile, forgetting Joy was there at first, then realizing a moment after.

"Actually, Eric said Rebecca was hoping for some company tonight," Will said quickly.

"Well, it'll be nice to meet some of the other people here," Joy said, smiling. She knew that Scully and Cara knew she inserted herself, but she didn't care.

"Yes," Scully said, smiling at Joy, trying to not make her feel uncomfortable. "Yes it will."

"What time?" Cara asked.

"Hogan's being blessed in two hours. We meet after supper," Will said softly. "Eric said it might be a long night."

"Well, in that case, I'll wear my pajamas," Mulder quipped.

* * *

Hoboken Police Station  
Hoboken, NJ  
6:32 P.M. EST

"There you are," Doggett said, seeing Reyes enter the station as he exited the interrogation room where he had been questioning Chad Wentworth.

"Sorry, the trooper who drove me had to make a detour on the way back," Reyes explained. She glanced over at the interrogation room, knowing Chad was inside still. "What did he say?"

"He has absolutely no recollection of anything," Doggett said softly, pulling Reyes aside to a more private area of the station. "You can see it in his eyes, though. He doesn't know anything. He's devastated with the news of his parents. I think the virus transferred, but I'm waiting on some blood samples from the lab to be sure."

"If it did transfer, it might have went to Kenny Greenwood."

"Who's he?"

"Chad's friend who was with him extracting the water sample in Sybil's Cave under Doctor Jenson's direction." She saw Doggett's eyebrow arch. "He seemed clean, but there was this … odd … feeling about him."

"How so?"

"It was like he told me exactly what I wanted to hear. It was unsettling."

"Alright, so how about you see if you can use some space here and get some more information on Doctor Jenson."

"What are you going to do?" Reyes asked.

"I'm going to try to get a location on Kenny Greenwood," Doggett replied. "Mulder texted me his new number, along with Scully's, Cara's and William's a little bit ago. You should have them, too."

"Alright." As Doggett started to leave, Reyes caught his arm. "John, what if Kenny is infected? How … how do we stop this?"

"That's on the top of my question list for Mulder," Doggett said softly before he left.

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
5:12 P.M. MST

"Mulder."

"Mulder, it's Doggett," Doggett said, standing outside of the Hoboken Police Station. "We got Chad Wentworth."

"What did he say?" Mulder asked, leaning forward as he pressed his cell phone to his ear, feeling the rest of the group in Will and Cara's cabin watching him.

"He's clean, literally and figuratively," Doggett replied. "The virus transferred - I've got lab results showing him to be absolutely clean. The kid has no recollection of anything, not even of being in the cave."

"Do you have any idea where it might have transferred?"

"Monica thinks it might have been to his friend, Kenny Greenwood, who was with him in the cave."

"Sounds plausible."

"How do we stop it?"

Mulder sighed. "You can't, aside from the vaccine."

"So what you're saying is, it'll keep spreading without it?"

"It will jump from host to host at will."

"Mulder, do you know anything on a Doctor Nicholas Jenson?" Doggett asked, watching the busy traffic of the city in front of him.

Mulder's eyes widened. "Nicholas Jenson?" he repeated, catching everyone else's attention that was there in the room. "What's his involvement?"

"He's a biotech chemist and Chad's and Kenny's professor at SIT."

"What does he teach?"

"Methods of Transportation, a class on sustainable development."

"Damn," Mulder murmured, looking at Joy as he continued. "I have reason to believe Jenson is connected to Klim."

"Harry Klim, FBI?" Doggett asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Mulder confirmed.

"For what purpose?"

"He's in a network with him as part of an alliance with the Colonists."

"I told Monica to dig into Jenson and follow up on any leads she came across. She said Jenson was working at the pharmaceutical company Benton-Mitchell Shande in Lawrenceville, New Jersey on a team with a drug they manufacture called Exjade. Does Scully know Exjade?"

"I'll ask," Mulder said, pulling the phone away from his ear. "Scully, do you know the drug Exjade?"

"That's the brand-name for deferasirox," Joy interrupted.

"Doggett," he said quickly into the phone, "you've got to dig deeper into the people working on that drug."

"I'm already on it. What's Exjade?"

"An iron absorbing drug that quite possibly is being supplied to the new Syndicate to be administered to the super soldiers."

"Would it make them resistant to magnetite?"

"Enough to infiltrate and fight."

"Alright, I'm going to hang up so I can get busy."

"Keep me posted."

Mulder hung up, sighing. "Doggett and Reyes found the kid. The virus transferred," he explained to Scully and Will, while Cara and especially Joy looked confused.

"Wait, someone was infected with Purity?" Cara asked, her eyes wide.

"Infected and killed sixteen people by radiation," Mulder replied solemnly to her, seeing her baffled expression. "Doggett said Jenson is in Hoboken. He's a biotech chemist working at both the college and for a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey. He's worked on developing deferasirox."

"He probably already sold it to them," Will said, hanging his head. "Why the hell is this happening now? I thought they were waiting for Cara's due date?"

"They're just setting the stage," Mulder explained to his son. "This is only the beginning. This opening act is intended to just warm you up for the next few months."

"People are dead and super soldiers just became a hell of a lot more super. What's next? World flooding?" Will asked angrily, nearly shouting.

"Keep your head, William," Mulder warned. "Don't let them have control of you."

He wanted so badly to object to his father's advice, but instead, Will leaned back in his seat and stared blankly ahead as he drank from his beer, half-tempted to chuck the bottle across the room just to see the glass smash to satisfy his rage. "So what do I do?" he asked softly, glancing first at his father, then his mother. "Do I let people keep dying?"

"What _we_ do," Mulder corrected, "is try to figure out how to shut down their project."

"Even if we do, Mulder," Scully said softly, "what's to say they don't have another site waiting that we don't know about? We can't be everywhere at once."

"They most likely do, so we'll need to find what stops the entire thing and work backwards from there."

"And stock up on magnetite bullets," Will noted softly.

Cara broke the silence after a while, standing as her hands rested on her lower back. "Will, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked softly. Will nodded, following her out onto the back porch away from the group. Once they were alone after Will shut the door behind them, Cara inhaled deeply, trying to find the courage to say what she needed to as she felt the heat of the evening sun on her skin. "Will, I think … I think I know …"

"What?" Will asked gently, sensing her distress.

"Will … I know what stops them." Will took Cara's hands, gently stroking them to encourage her to speak her mind. "Will, it's me."

"What?" Will asked, shocked at what Cara had suggested.

"It's the only way, Will," she continued. "Think about it. It has to be. I can control Purity." She saw Will swallow, registering the words she spoke. "If I go into the site, I can possibly destroy it. I'm the only one who can. That's why they wanted me eliminated."

As soon as the words left Cara's mouth, Will knew she was right. He felt his heart tighten in his chest at the thought and what it meant. "No," he said softly.

"Will-"

"Cara, you're absolutely_ insane_ if you think that I'd let you do that," Will said sternly.

"Maybe if-"

"No," Will growled. "Don't even finish the sentence."

"What other choice do we have?" Cara asked, trying to keep her voice down.

"Plenty, like killing all the bastards behind this thing," Will said stiffly.

"That's not realistic, Will. Me taking out the source is."

"You know what's not realistic, Cara?" Will asked as softly as his anger would allow him to. "What's not realistic is you thinking I'd let you go into the heart of the beast on a possibility."

"I dove off of a bridge in a car on a possibility for you!" Cara shot back. "What's so different about this?"

Will paused, trying to contain his rage at the idea of Cara needing to sacrifice herself in order for this to end. "No," he said, shaking his head. He held his hand up when she started to speak, silencing her. "I said, _no_. I'm done with this."

Cara caught Will's arm as he turned to go back into the house. "How long are you going to ignore the truth, Will?" she asked softly. She saw him turn back to look at her slightly, listening to her. "Will … a choice will have to be made. We've known that all along. This was never designed to be in our favor." She paused, still gently holding his arm, feeling the muscles in it tense under her hand. "One person to save many is better than many to save one."

"Well, I'm not willing to give up the one," Will said darkly, pulling away from Cara as he threw open the door, leaving her alone on the porch with the grim reality he refused to face.


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Hoboken Terminal  
Hoboken, NJ  
8:01 P.M. EST

He sat on the bench, waiting with a blank face as he stared at the large clock on the wall of the Terminal in front of him, captured by the ticking movement of the clock's second hand. He didn't comprehend anything else around him; it was as if everything in his being told him to watch and wait for the perfect moment, somehow being able to know it when it inevitably arrived.

The paralysis of his body hadn't registered, the feeling almost seeming natural as he folded his hands on his lap in silence, watching the long, thin metal clock hand circle around the Roman numerals of its face. There was a power somewhere inside of him, yet it wasn't his to control. It thought for him. It blinked for him, breathed for him and felt for him. He was a shell. He was a mere capsule, insignificant compared to the contents it held.

Another minute ticked by, then another. Time moved at its steady, reliable pace as he watched it, seeing how it was unchanged regardless of the busyness around it. Time, like himself, didn't respond to the atmosphere it was in. No matter what, it kept moving forward, never allowing anyone a re-do, a pause, a leap ahead or even an inch behind.

After another ten minutes passed, his eyes shifted to a man in a dark suit who entered the Terminal, knowing he had been the reason for his two-hour wait. Wordlessly, he watched the man slip into the bathroom across from where he sat, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He stood, not by his body's instruction, but by the command of what stirred inside of him, compelling him to follow him inside the restroom.

He saw the man standing at a urinal, his body automatically moving to one three away from the man. He acted the part, pretending to be there with only the intention of relieving himself as he covertly observed the man finish, zip his fly and move to the sink. He followed suit, occupying the sink next to the man as he caught him drying his hands with paper towels.

The evidence for fate's existence would have been defined in the next moment, him watching as the man missed the trash can next to him, bending down to pick up his wad of paper towels that had fallen to the floor, his back now turned. They were alone, and though they both had finished their business, neither emerged as expected from the bathroom.

The silent shock hitting the man's system was the only thing keeping his voice from bouncing off of the acoustics of the tile all around him, the worm-like beings entering his system without regard, question or concern for any agenda or care other than their own. He didn't notice the film that covered the man's eyes as he looked at him, as if he was thanking him for something he didn't understand. It was in this moment, as the fog and haze of the black oil left him and entered the other man that he, for the first time in a while, had felt responsible for himself, though he had absolutely no idea of why he wouldn't otherwise.

Drying his hands, he looked around as he exited the bathroom, wondering why he was in the Terminal to begin with, not recalling any need to be there other than maybe he took too many hits off the joint that had been passed around at that party he went to - the party that happened the day before he joined his friend in the cave, which he had no memory of. To him, it was still that same day after the party, unaware of the passage of time, its consistent pace still marked by the ticking of the large clock he passed on his way out of the Terminal.

It was now the man in the suit's turn to feel power, control and satisfaction as he boarded the 126 bus en route to the 108, headed toward Newark Penn Station where he would then Acela Express Train 2253 toward Washington Union Station in Philadelphia. Taking a seat by the window, he let the smile that came from knowing what would be accomplished form on his mouth as he watched the city slip behind him through the glass.

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
7:12 P.M. MST

With the sacred hogan blessed for the coming discussion amongst the elders of the Hosteen tribe and Will and Mulder, everyone was welcomed to share in supper with Eric and his wife Rebecca in their cabin. The meal was to serve as a welcome to Joy, who showed surprise at the tribe's willingness to host her, given the sudden and unusual circumstances of her arrival. As she observed the way Will and Eric kept a close eye on Cara and Rebecca respectively as they prepared the dinner when she was around, she understood that by them having her close meant they still yet didn't believe. Joy wasn't particularly concerned about Eric's lack of faith in her. Rather, her sole focus was Will, needing him to trust in her words without question, which proved would be more difficult than she had hoped.

It stirred a dark envy in Joy as she watched Will's subtle interactions with Cara - his gentle kiss on her cheek, a brush of her hip on his, his hand catching the small dip in her lower back as he guided her. She remained quiet, containing her lust for him as she observed, knowing that regardless of what he thought he had and felt in those moments, he would soon come to know the beautiful truth that she did - that Will, not unlike Cara, was naturally drawn to his own kind, and that Joy was the only one left. Timothy English had objected to creating the same instinct in Will as he had in Brody Wesson, the desire to seek a compatible mate seemingly too cold for his idealistic envisionment of the love he hoped for his daughter. Daniel Riggs, however, had equipped Joy with it, and it nearly drove her to madness every time she saw Will. Yet, she was comforted in seeing Will's instinctive appreciation of her, knowing he, too, felt their undeniable electricity they shared, and she knew that the reward was so much greater the longer she waited to take ownership of him. Joy sipped her water, her eyes carefully taking in the image of Will's face, his body, his hands, his eyes, committing them to herself, quietly taking possession of what she knew was rightfully hers.

She had always been the type to take what she wanted and she felt she deserved without hesitation - passiveness was the key to anyone's destruction, she thought. Though she had to admit, a good game and a good chase always entertained her. She was the huntress who stalked her prey a little longer than necessary just to drive herself wild, thrilled with the tantalizing effect that the delayed capture always brought, playing games with her catch until she had completely devoured it. _Soon, _she thought to herself as she purposely seated herself across from Will, looking into his eyes as she saw him freeze, realizing he was unable now to switch seats as everyone filled around the table. _Soon you won't even remember her name. _Her smile danced softly on her red lips, knowing she had caught Cara's attention as she took the seat next to him. _Enjoy it while it lasts, Caraline._

As the bowls and plates of food were being passed, conversation milled about the table, the large group who gathered holding at minimum of three different topics of discussion at once. It was only when Eric stood that a silence washed over the room, forks clinking as they rested on plates to pay attention to what the host would say, his eyes locked on Joy. "Joy LaHaye comes to us with great surprise, but she is a welcomed addition to our family here. Like Young Fox, Joy has incredible gifts bestowed on her that she has vowed to use for our protection. For that, we are grateful." After the acknowledgment, Eric sat, Rebecca smiling kindly at him as he did.

John then stood, nodding to Joy slowly as he fixed his dark eyes on her. "The Raven is a complex creature," he said, his tone even and slow as his sole focus remained on Joy. In some tribes, the Raven is considered a trickster because of its transforming and changing attributes. Among the Navajo, the Raven is honored among medicine men and holy men for its shape-shifting qualities - they would call upon the Raven in ritual so that visions could be clarified. Native holy men understand that what the physical eye sees is not necessarily the truth, and he can call upon the Raven for clarity in these matters.

"Foremost, the Raven is the Native American bearer of magic, and a harbinger of messages from the cosmos. Messages that are beyond space and time are nestled in the midnight wings of the Raven and come to only those within the tribe who are worthy of the knowledge."

Joy caught Cara's barely-contained objection to John's words; even though she couldn't, it wasn't necessary for Joy to read Cara's mind, as what she felt was right in her disapproving eyes.

"The Raven is also a keeper of secrets," John continued, "and can assist us in determining answers to our own hidden thoughts. Areas in our lives that we are unwilling to face, or secrets we keep that harm us – the Raven can help us expose the truth behind these secrets and help us back to health and harmony." John saw Joy's head turn, her eyes now catching Will's directly across from her. Will clenched his teeth, causing his jaw to flex as he met her eyes for a moment, then casting them downward to his lap.

After John sat, the eating and milling of conversation slowly began again, the wisdom bestowed upon them by John sinking into their minds as they discussed the latest scores in baseball and the upcoming weather patterns for the week. Cara pushed her corn pudding around on her plate with her fork, watching the yellow kernels dance under her influence. Seeing her obvious distraction, Will leaned to her, his warm breath filling her ear as he whispered something to her, which caused Cara to both smile and flush slightly at the apples of her cheeks. He departed from the secret with a small kiss on her cheek, unaffected by Joy's burning gaze across from him.

"Raven Woman," River said, gaining the attention of Joy, "if you are like Young Fox, then you can enter my mind, right?"

"Yes," Joy said, smiling at River. She secretly hated children, never desiring to have any of her own, but flexed her maternal muscles in an attempt to capture Will's attention. "Want to test me?" she asked playfully.

"Yes!" River said, crumbs falling from his mouth as he chewed on his bread. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on what he hoped for Joy to discover in his mind.

"Hmm," Joy said, easily reading the boy's thoughts, "that's pretty silly." She widened her smile as River watched her in anticipation. "After all, have you ever seen a purple elephant before?"

"No!" River giggled, entertained by Joy's power. "Okay … now try!"

"River," Shilah said, attempting to free Joy from the boy's request, "let her eat."

"It's okay," Joy said, flashing a smile at Shilah. "I enjoy someone who challenges me." Her eyes flicked up to Will, who she knew was watching the interaction she was having with the boy, knowing he felt possessive over the child, too. Her implied meaning had registered in Will, who lifted his glass and drank the water from it, his eyes not leaving hers. "Alright, River," Joy said, turning to the boy, "now I'm not sure you want me to say this one out loud."

"Why?" River said, another giggle trying to escape his throat.

"Well," Joy said, leaning into him, "you might make someone jealous."

"Who?"

Joy's eyes fell on Cara, who had been trying to do her best to avoid any contact with her during the meal, now failing as she searched her eyes. "Will, of course," Joy said, locking eyes with Cara. "I mean, if Will knew how pretty you think Cara is, he might not be too happy."

River dipped his head low, shaking it profusely. "No, I … I didn't want you to read that one," he mumbled. "I …"

"It's okay, River," Cara said gently, smiling genuinely at him and reaching across the table to take his hand, seeing the young boy's eyes slowly travel up to hers. "I think its very sweet. I think I am very lucky to have that kind of attention from you, and I know whoever you fall in love with will be very lucky, too." Cara laughed softly, withdrawing her hand when she saw River's relieved smile, seeing the boy glance over at Will, who nodded at him.

"You've got good taste," Will said, his crooked smile warming Cara's heart. His eyes shifted to Joy, who caught his gaze momentarily before retreating back to her plate, knowing he had struck her back from her previous insinuation.

Dishes were soon cleared and the table cleaned of any memory of the feast it had just held on its surface, the men first helping the women, then forming into a small group to prepare for the meeting of the elders. Drying her hands on a towel, Cara slipped out of the kitchen and found Will, who took her in his arms beside his father who mimicked his actions, Mulder drawing Scully close as he kissed her head. They stepped aside, choosing a corner to host their private conversation. "Mulder," Scully whispered, "do you want me to watch Cara?"

"Eric is staying behind," Mulder whispered back. "I need him to watch both of you."

"I'll be fine, Mulder," Scully chided.

"Yeah, but I'm not so sure about Joy and we may need her," Mulder replied teasingly, kissing Scully with a smile before he left for the hogan with the others.

* * *

The fire burned brightly in the center of the hogan, the elders surrounding John as Mulder and Will sat across from him in the circle they formed on the floor. Their legs folded underneath themselves, Will placed his hands in his lap as his fingers caught the silky cords that were braided around his left wrist. When he first received the cords, they had been vibrant and new. Now, they had weathered with time spent in the sun and the water from the showers he took and the times he jumped into the small pond near the settlement after a day of helping Eric and Shilah with cabin repairs in their settlement and in other neighboring ones. He had kept physically busy with the construction work, dragging Cara with him wherever he went for fear she would be vulnerable by herself. He stared at the green cord in the light of the fire, tracing its path along the braid as he thought of his wife, and then much to his anger and disappointment, to Joy.

It was in that silent moment while John and the others recited chants and blessings before revealing the vision that Will finally understood something that had perplexed him for months. He had never knew Cara to be anything but blonde, loving the lightness of her hair as it fell in sunshine-hued rays to her chest or spent its days twisted into beautiful knots and braids that crowned her head like a halo. Yet in January, she had decided to mask the brightness of herself with dye, turning her golden hair into waves of darkness, a hue that instantly physically attracted him and emotionally hurt him with much intensity as soon as he saw it. He remembered the moment, she pinned to the wall under his grasp in the bathroom as the water on him fresh from the shower dripped from his hair to the floor, his heart stopping when he took in the change in her appearance. He knew he had loved her before she changed, but he also knew he felt a primal desire after, remembering how he nearly attacked her with his mouth in that moment instead of waiting until later.

He suddenly felt sick, unable to process the possibility that his attraction to Cara had been solely based off of someone's desire to see him procreate, a mate already pre-designed for him to have and to naturally want. Was he like Brody Wesson? Did he, too, have a connection with Joy based on genetics? Will called into question his feelings for Cara, knowing they existed for almost the entire part of his genuine years spent on earth. Yet, was his choice to be with her unnatural? Was it something that wasn't meant to be? Cara said he would have to choose, and he knew that in first choosing to fall in love with her, that a need for the ultimate choice had come to life. Would fate have been the same had he complied with the design and chosen Joy, a creature like himself? Or was what he believed to be genuine love the greater choice, regardless of the consequences?

"Much troubles you, Young Fox."

Will looked up from the braid, catching John's eyes across from him, not knowing how long he had been in thought or what he possibly missed because of it. "There is a heavy weight on your heart. It did not exist until today," John observed.

"I think I'm just contemplating some recent choices," Will replied, still feeling the braid under his fingertips.

"Many choices will still need to be made," John said. "Some which may not be in your favor. Others, even further still. As your father's son, you must know what truth you seek to help guide you through those choices."

"What if I am deceived?" Will asked softly, feeling Mulder's eyes on him next to him.

"Young Fox," John said, eyeing him, "you forget your gift."

"It doesn't work on everyone," Will replied.

"Not that gift, Young Fox. The gift of your heart." Will swallowed, his eyes shifting to the fire in front of him. "Fire is unchangeable," John continued. "It grows how it wants, unwilling to listen to reason until drastic measures are taken. Fire must be doused with water to keep it contained. Otherwise, it will destroy everything in its path. Do not let your heart catch fire and forget the clarity of water," John warned. "For water bends to wherever it needs to, healing, soothing and sustaining life, whereas fire consumes without regard, burning and scorching anyone who gets too close."

Will nodded softly, still feeling the weight of the burden deep inside of himself. He heard John clear his throat and watched as he closed his eyes, as if scanning the memories of his mind to reveal the vision that he had, slowly beginning to share it with the group.

"It has been told that a mule did give birth to its own kind some years ago, which is the first of four major events leading to the end of the earth as it is known. The second sign, a child born speaking with white hair and teeth has been witnessed among our people in decades past.

"The third and fourth signs trouble me, for I have seen a vision of these events to come. I have seen a great famine rush over the land like water down rock, fast and strong with fury. Many suffer in this famine, many die. Children cry to their mothers for food and drink but are left with dust and rocks to consume. Wells will dry up, their waters undrinkable by any living thing on earth. Nothing inhabits the water, for it is darkened with evil."

Mulder glanced at Will. Neither had shared the information with John regarding their knowledge of the Purity infection in the water of the country for fear of scaring the settlement residents. It was a secret they kept safely guarded to the four of them, and now five with Joy's presence. They didn't question John's ability to have the vision of such events, knowing he was bestowed with wisdom much like his brother, Albert. What they feared was the broken resolve of the people upon the revelation of such things occurring, not knowing how to deliver the news of the inevitable end of the world to people who had sheltered them, knowing they were the cause of any harm that was to come upon them.

"The fourth sign is lightning that strikes across the skies from east to west, its bolts deadly and unforgiving," John continued. "Many will suffer death from this. Lives will be lost to the depths of the ocean as the sky's fire consumes them.

"The medicine man's medicine bag will no longer have strength as in the past, and there will be no regard for it. It, like the dust, will blow away, never to be seen again. The People will be lost without its presence, and they will have no power against the enemy.

"Like the medicine bag, the drums, baskets, prayer sticks and bags will be forgotten. The People will divide themselves in search of 'better' things for their own gain and lose their identities in the process. Other ideas will be accepted from other tribes and will be called true beliefs, but those who listen are unwise. These warnings of things to come have been spoken of for many years, but have been swept away in the swirling winds of time. The price to remember these warnings is far too steep for most, and they will refuse to pay because it is easier to forget than to remember."

John paused, looking at Mulder. "Fox," he said, "my brother once prayed to the Holy People for your life, performing a healing ritual to preserve you for your quest for the truth you still seek to reveal. Your son now bears this truth from his loins through Shima. The Changing Woman's blessing upon your family is great, far greater than can be understood. Your son has been diligent in protecting Shima, but I fear that like The People who will forget the power of the medicine bag, so has your son forgotten the power of the truth that lives because of him."

Will's jaw tightened, hearing John speak about him in such a way, holding his tongue out of respect.

"William understands his power and his responsibilities," Mulder defended gently, sensing Will's tension. "He values Cara's life and his children more than anything."

"Value is not the same as belief," John replied, equally as gentle. "Young Fox's love for Shima is great, as is his love for the children she bears him, but his mind has become clouded with darkness. He has questioned his fate and the fate of others, much like you have in your life."

"How can I question a fate I barely know?" Will asked, his tone between gentle and sharp, feeling unable to sit silent as he was being talked about in front of him.

"It is not wise to deny any truth that is revealed to you," John said, seeing Will moisten his lips as the fire crackled and hissed in front of them. Will pressed his mouth closed, waiting as he looked carefully at John. "You share a special word with Shima," John continued softly, as if he was being slightly delayed by the information that trickled into his mind. "A poet called it 'Jabberwocky' … an unusual word. Why did you choose that word?"

Will's gaze fell into the orange glow of the fire, feeling the heat forming beads of sweat on his brow. He let a moment of silence linger in the air before beginning his explanation. "Before Cara knew who her father really was, she only had the false memories he gave her to protect her. Those … those memories hurt her deeply. She said she felt like Alice, a lost girl looking for her father's affection." Mulder watched his son, seeing the pain he felt for Cara in his eyes.

"The first time we spoke, she had used vinegar and aloe to heal my swollen face from a fight I had been subjected to," Will continued. "I knew I didn't need her to help me, but I let her. I was absolutely fascinated by her. She was beautiful. That night, she took me to her room in the academy and pressed the mixture on my face with a washcloth while she told me how she believed in things I never wanted to consider: God, life beyond our planet, ghosts, possessions, mutants, and even soul mates. We … we were eighteen and I had only seen her twice before then, but I felt as if she had been with me forever.

"For whatever reason, I think I was the first person she felt safe to be herself around. She trusted me … and I lied to her. I lied about how I was able to achieve what I did during academy training, or how I would come up with leads on cases, or coerce testimony from suspects who thought they could outsmart me. I lied about knowing how to get places I've never been, and I lied about being weak and vulnerable. I faked pain so she wouldn't question. I've never been a sick a day in my life, except when she tried to take care of me in January.

"That night when we first spoke, I pretended my cuts and bruises hurt and she distracted me by having me read the poem 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll. It made me smile to see her laugh at my attempt to read the imagined words, since I had never cared to pick up a book, let alone one like that. When I was finished, I asked her what it meant." Will stopped, smiling softly as he remembered. "She looked me dead in the eyes and said, 'Nothing. Absolutely nothing.' I asked her why someone would write about something that meant absolutely nothing, angry at the idea. She smiled at me, knowing I had an issue with the poem meaning absolutely nothing and said, 'Well, how about we make it mean something? How about we make Jabberwocky our code word for needing help?'

"… Before she asked me that question, I hadn't thought I'd ever be able to see her again other than from a distance. Yet, here she was, asking me to share something special with her, something intimate and secret, inviting me into her life. When I said okay, she was like a flower that bloomed right in front of me - radiant and gorgeous, layers of complexity opening and revealing her life-giving soul in the center. I fell … I fell so deeply and madly in love with her in that moment, convinced of no one else to live life with other than her." Will swallowed, adding softly after a pause, "Until today."


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

A hushed silence had fallen over the group inside the hogan as they listened to Will's recollection of his first encounter with Cara, Mulder especially intrigued by the deep emotions his son revealed. Mulder saw Will's eyes were glassy with tears derived from what he assumed was guilt and confusion, his ability to continue slowly fading.

"I think I've known all along that I wasn't designed to be with Cara," Will said softly, still gazing deep into the fire. "And now, seeing all I've put her through … I wonder what her life would have been like had I not taken it from her, had I not decided so much of her fate for her. What things would have been like for her if I had chosen someone else." Mulder listened carefully, knowing all too well the emotional struggle Will was dealing with. "If… if I had just allowed the way I was designed to manifest itself somehow, if I had stopped fighting who I was because I just wanted to be with her … If I had just accepted my fate, then hers wouldn't be hanging in the balance right now."

"Caraline's destiny was written in the stars long before you came to be, Young Fox," John said gently, seeing the pain in Will's eyes. "She is strong - her name means strength. And she loves you very much. She has willingly given herself for you."

Will couldn't help but look at John, not having heard him call her Caraline since their wedding day. "I don't want her to," he whispered.

"We cannot choose the path people will take," John advised.

"I won't let her give …" Will stopped, realizing he was dangerously close to revealing the truth he had just learned from Cara which he hadn't yet shared with his father, who now leaned into him.

"You won't let her give what, William?" Mulder asked softly.

Will inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes as the fire blazed in front of him. "John," Will said, looking at the older man, "your vision … of the water. We know of such things coming to be very soon." He felt his father shift uncomfortably, knowing he was most likely disappointed at him revealing the secret. "The men we are taking shelter from plan to infect the water with a virus. One that will kill all life on earth as we know it. They have already begun harvesting the spring they will first utilize."

John nodded. "The Holy People said this vision would come to pass suddenly."

"Yes," Will continued. "There are only two ways to eliminate the virus."

"One," Mulder corrected.

Will shook his head. "Two." Will saw the confusion in Mulder's face and slowly continued. "The first is a proven vaccine which we do not have possession of, and are unsure of how to replicate it without proper resources."

"And the second?" one of the other elders questioned.

Will's jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth. "The second way isn't proven, but is highly likely to succeed."

"What is this way?" another else asked.

"Cara," Will said after hesitation. "Cara is the second way."

"Wait …" Mulder said, shaking his head. "How?"

"She can control Purity," Will replied softly. "She could possibly destroy the deposit." Will looked at John. "This is what weighs on my heart. Not love for another woman, but the desperation I have for the only woman I've ever loved to live. She wants to risk herself. She wants to do this … and I have to choose. I have to choose between the good of one or the good of many." Will squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the hot tears burning for escape. "That is why I have wondered what her life would have been like without me - because it's me taking the only life she has."

Will buried his face in his large hands in an attempt to shut out the world around him, the evils of it finally becoming too much to bear in silence. He cried - he wept for the people who had died and who he knew would continue to die because of a fate he didn't choose and a fate he had yet to decide. The weight of the world crushed his spirit, sobs racking through his body as he mourned, unable to do anything but feel the anguish his heart had carried for so long.

Mulder drew Will into his arms, holding him securely as he comforted him, his heart aching for his son. He knew Will had been too afraid to reveal such pain to Cara, too busy with the outward show of keeping her safe and secure that his own sense of security had been ransacked. It was an unfair, inhumane choice that Will was being forced to make, and he wished in that moment that he could change his son's fate, or even take it on himself.

The elders observed in silence as Will's sobs slowly eased, the young man finally emerging from his father's arms, his reddened eyes staring blankly back into the fire as the residual pain clung onto him. "Young Fox," John said softly, "such a heavy burden has been carried by you alone for far too long. The Navajo do not believe in shouldering weight alone. The trouble you carry is ours to carry as well."

"You told me that I, alone, am responsible for their lives," Will said sharply, holding up his wrist, showing him the weathered braided bracelet he wore.

"And you are," John explained. "But the entire world is not your responsibility alone." John looked to Mulder. "Others, too, are responsible for caring for the earth. We all share that privilege." He looked to Mulder. "Fox, it is up to us, now, to teach the people the evils to come, so that your son may focus on keeping his family safe."

"I have power that no one else has," Will interrupted. "I'm not going to ask people to fight a losing battle for me."

"As I said before," John said, "you cannot chose the paths people take, nor should you interfere if the path chosen is good." He eyed Will, his silent stare commanding respect, which Will tried to give him. "It is an honor to fight for the good of people. No man here will object to choosing this path."

"This isn't what I want," Will said, shaking his head. "I don't want you fighting for this! This fight isn't yours." Will's voice was firm as he rose. "I will NOT sit back and ask people to fight for me. I would rather be alone than to ask people to sacrifice their lives because of me."

"Do not let the fire of anger consume your heart, Young Fox," John warned. "It burns strongly for you, it is fueled by the darkness inside of you. It will consume you to ashes if you allow it to."

Unable to respond, Will fled the hogan into the darkness of the night, hearing his father call him only once before the silence of the desert surrounded him.

Inside the hogan, John cautioned Mulder against pursuing Will. "Your son must conquer the darkness inside of him. It is this darkness that keeps him blind to the truth."

"How do I help him?" Mulder asked, feeling desperate. "What do I do?"

"Everything you can against what he wants," John replied. "We begin tomorrow morning cultivating our resources to prepare to battle the evil your son feels he should face alone."

* * *

Howard Johnson Inn  
Hoboken, NJ  
9:40 P.M. EST

Reyes rubbed her eyes, flipping through the bits of information they were able to gather on the six biotech chemists directly involved with the development of deferasirox, listening to the pelting of the shower water coming from the bathroom. After hours of digging and failing to get a location on Kenny Greenwood, Doggett and Reyes had gone to the motel where they would spend the night. Now, as Doggett showered, Reyes poured over the documents that were spread all over the bed, trying to find any connective thread of information she could to the network alliance Mulder had mentioned Doctor Jenson was supposedly a part of. With little to go on to develop any leads, they were left to assemble a fragmented puzzle, unsure if once they finished putting it together what it would look like.

Her cell phone rang, and she answered it quickly. "Reyes." She paused, listening to the other end as she heard Doggett emerge from the bathroom, now seeing him towel-dry his hair as he walked over to her in his boxers. "Are you sure? … No, we'll come down. Thanks." She hung up, looking up at Doggett. "They found Kenny Greenwood at the Hoboken Terminal," Reyes said softly. "He was shot … He's dead, John."

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
9:02 P.M. MST

"... And by the time we found the car, we nearly exhausted ourselves from laughing so hard." Rebecca's smile was wide as she recalled the fond memory of a time gone by with her husband Eric. "Now, you'll never catch Eric without a set of clothes in his car. He would die if it happened again."

Scully matched her smile, sitting with her, Cara and Joy as they sipped on iced tea in the living room of Rebecca and Eric's cabin. "I never knew Eric was such a free spirit," she commented.

"Aren't we all when we're young?" Rebecca commented, giving Scully a knowing grin. "I'm sure you have joined Fox on many interesting adventures."

"Interesting is one way to describe them," Scully laughed.

"I'm not sure I should hear this," Cara teased.

"I'm quite intrigued, though," Joy said, gaining Scully's attention. "The past is a good insight into a person." She turned to Cara. "Probably like his father, I bet Will probably has had his fair share of youthful indiscretions."

As she was about to defend him, Cara's phone rang. She fished it out of her shorts pocket and her eyes widened at the name that appeared on the screen. "Excuse me," she said quickly, rushing out of the cabin. Scully watched, concerned, but was soon distracted by a surprise appearance from River, Eric and Rebecca's nephew, who managed to capture everyone's attention.

Outside, Cara pressed the cell phone to her ear. "Mom?" she asked softly.

"Cara," Maryann Riggs said, sitting inside of her darkened house. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mom," Cara said stiffly. "Where the hell have you been?"

Maryann closed her eyes, her daughter's hurt eating at her. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to talk to you sooner," she replied softly. "I … I was afraid for you and-"

"And you thought it best to drop off the face of the earth?" Cara asked, angry.

"I didn't know what to do," Maryann said quietly, her voice begging her daughter to understand. She heard Cara take a long, deep breath, knowing she was trying to remain calm. "I got your message from earlier today with your new number and ... How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Cara said, her voice stiff.

"How are the babies?"

"Fine."

"How's William?"

"What do you want, Mom?" Cara asked suddenly, her bitterness evident in her tone.

"Cara … I need to see you."

Cara shut her eyes, closing herself in more darkness as she stood in the black-skied desert alone, the phone pressed to her ear. "Why?" she asked, dreading the thought of seeing her mother after so long and after so much had happened.

"Cara …" Maryann hesitated, sighing deeply. "Cara, I'm dying," she whispered softly. "I … I don't have much time left. And … I just … was hoping to see my only child … before …"

"How?" Cara asked softly, needing the details as she felt her heart stop in her chest. Though she hadn't been particularly close to her mother, the idea of losing another parent she barely knew hurt her deeply.

"Stage 4 uterine cancer."

"You're 45!" Cara argued. "You … can't …"

"No one is immune, Cara," Maryann said softly, looking at the darkness of her home.

"How ... how long?"

"They've given me three months." Maryann paused, the silence filling the air. "Can you come?"

"... Of course," Cara murmured, feeling vulnerable. "I'll see if we can-"

"Cara, it's not that I don't want William to come … I just … I know if you tell him, he won't let you." Maryann's voice was rushed yet quiet, desperate for Cara to understand the urgency she tried to convey without scaring her.

Cara stared out into the darkness, trying to see the outline of the rocks she knew were nearby. "Alright," she said softly. "I'll come alone."

"When?" Maryann asked, sniffling as she wiped her tears away.

"As soon as I can," Cara whispered, her hand touching her stomach as her mind spun with the possibilities. Going to Hoboken to see her mother meant she would be near the site. She could destroy the Purity for Will. She felt her rounded baby bump, knowing that if Will even sensed her ulterior motive, he would never allow her to go alone - she was pretty confident he wouldn't even let her finish the sentence to explain, just as he hadn't before. No, he couldn't know anything. Everything would have to remain secret. "I'll call you soon, Mom."

"I love you, Cara," Maryann said softly, chewing on her bottom lip, not realizing that thousands of miles away, her daughter was doing the same exact thing, an inherited trait that Cara hadn't realized she received.

"I love you too, Mom."

As Cara hung up the phone, she felt the shift of the children inside of her, shutting her eyes and trying to tell herself that what she had said she would do was right - that it was okay, that this secret kept from Will was essential. There was an unexplainable and undeniable urge she felt inside of her and she knew needed to see her mother one last time, knowing life would never be right without the closure of it. She didn't know if her earlier hypothesis had been correct about her impact at the site, but she knew that if it meant freedom, life and protection for those she loved, it was at least worth a try.

The only thing left to do was to figure out how to secretly free herself from Will's protective grasp.

* * *

"What did she say?"

Maryann tore her eyes away from the cordless phone she had been gripping tightly in her hand, not realizing he had even come into the room. "She'll come," she whispered, wiping her tears.

"When?" the man asked.

"As soon as she can."

"When, Maryann?" he demanded.

"I don't know, Howard," Maryann snapped. "Isn't it enough that she's coming?"

"How do we know for certain?"

"I know my daughter. She will come."

The man took a long look at her. "She'd better. Her life depends on it."


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

July 4, 2012  
California Cavern  
Mountain Ranch, CA  
08:56 AM PST

"Good morning, folks! Happy Independence Day!"

The bubbly blonde college student smiled at the small group of cavern explorers that were assigned to her 9:00 a.m. tour, counting twenty-two people in total. She shifted, her hiking boots gripping the rocky ground as she stood confidently, dressed in her California Cavern logo polo uniform shirt and her cargo khaki shorts. "My name is Aimee, and I will be your tour guide today. Before we begin, I'd like to take a roll call." She laughed, knowing everyone always thought the concept silly, considering it was an 18-plus-age outing. "I know, when was the last time you had a roll call, right? It should bring back some memories for sure. Hang tight, we'll be on our way to seeing these beautiful caverns in no time. Alright … James Aldo … Veronica Barrett …"

"This is ridiculous," one of the men said in the back, frowning. He clearly was a seasoned hiker, fit from scaling trails and equipped with the best gear.

"Oh come on, Owen," the woman next to him argued, "would it really be all that boring to you?" She, too, looked experienced in outdoor recreation, putting her hands on her hips that were covered in utility shorts.

"Jax, it's amature stuff," Owen argued back. "This shit is for tourists."

"Owen Erickson?" Aimee called, smiling when he reluctantly rose his hand.

"For God's sake, Owen," Jax argued, "I'm sure there's something interesting in there."

"Jacqueline Torres?" Aimee asked, seeing the woman nicknamed Jax raise her hand. "And finally, Walter Tramble?" She nodded, snapping her small notebook shut, satisfied that everyone was accounted for. "Okay, we're ready to go! Please remember the tips you picked up from our helpful orientation video, and stay with the group. Your surroundings can become disorienting, so if you find yourself separated from the group, please blow your whistle you've been provided and someone will assist you." She gestured to the two other uniformed college students, one with a mop of hair that barely stayed out of his eyes and the other with a uniform shirt that was one size too small on purpose to show off his biceps.

"Great, we have two Backstreet Boys joining Britney Spears," Owen mumbled.

"God, you're old," Jax teased. "Those kids probably don't even know who they are."

"Hey, you're four months older than me."

"Whatever."

Owen reluctantly followed Jax into the large cavern, shaking his head in disgust as he walked behind the tourists who pretended they knew something about outdoor expeditions, their smart phones snapping pictures and selfies in front of stalactites as they gushed about how "cool" it was. "Come on, Owen," Jax said, frowning at him, "at least pretend you're interested."

Owen frowned back at Jax. "I will when I see something interesting enough to pretend for."

"Ugh, you know what? I can't take you anywhere."

"Come on, Jax. Let's get out of here. It's a four mile hike to the Mercer Caverns. I bet there's a hell of a lot more interesting things on the hike there than in here."

"Seriously?"

"If I make the puppy-dog face, will you ditch this crap with me?"

Jax eyed Owen. "Make the face," she ordered, smiling when he did. "Fine, you pain in the ass. Let's go."

Waiting until the rest of the people followed Aimee and the two college boys that led them like the group of cattle Owen thought they were, he and Jax left the cavern, Owen sighing in relief as the summer sun hit his tanned skin. "Thank God," he mumbled, hiking quickly away from the cavern as Jax followed.

"Hey dumbass, wait up!" she yelled, laughing at him.

* * *

10:18 AM PST

"Jax, check this out!"

Jax frowned at Owen, who was crouched over a small opening to a cave as she watched, sipping the water from her travel bottle. "What is it?" she asked, not moving.

"Come on, Jax, just get over here!" Owen said, smiling. When he heard her approach, he gestured to what he was focused on. "I think they're bones."

Jax eyed the bone fragments, nodding. "They look big," she commented.

"Big … like human bones?" Owen teased.

"Yeah right."

"Maybe there's a monster in there," Owen continued, shining his flashlight into the cave.

"We are in the wild, Owen. There's a really good chance something got hungry and ate something else." Jax shook her head. "You're such a guy."

"You mean to tell me that you're not the least bit curious?" Owen asked, picking up one of the larger bones. "This looks like a full tibia to me." He threw the bone on the ground after feeling something slimy on it. "Eww, shit."

"Aww, what's wrong, princess?" Jax now teased. "Touch something?"

Owen held up his hand, examining the black goop that clung to his skin before he shook his hand, flinging it onto the ground. "Do you think that's like … some weird animal shit or something?" he asked, trying not to panic as he rid himself of it.

Jax laughed loudly. "It's probably cave monster diarrhea."

"Shut up."

"There's a stream nearby," Jax said, her tone attempting to be serious as she fought her laughter. "Come on, we'll go wash your hands."

Standing, they scaled down the rock to the small nearby stream. Owen dipped his hands in the cool water, scrubbing the slime off of his hands. "Hey," he said over his shoulder, "go upstream and fill our bottles."

"Please and thank you are always nice," Jax grumbled, snatching Owen's bottle from him.

"Here, I'll do you one better. _Por favor y gracias_."

"Screw you."

"What? I'm all about celebrating your culture."

"If you think by playing to my heritage that you'll get some later, you're wrong."

"Damn."

Jax moved upstream, uncapping their bottles and letting the clear, running water fill them, taking a long drink before refilling and capping hers. "Here, jerk," Jax said, making her way back to Owen, who stood quietly with his back to her, looking at the water. He turned slightly toward her and took the bottle.

"Thanks," he said, his tone soft and even.

Jax's eyebrow raised. "You okay?" she asked, thinking it odd when he didn't have some kind of smartass comment to send her way.

"Never better," Owen said, smiling at Jax.

Searching his eyes, Jax let a relaxed smile wash over her. "Come on," she said, "let's get down to the caverns."

"Right behind you," Owen said, watching as Jax started ahead of him, expertly hiking the rocky pathway. As he slowly blinked, his eyes filled with the black oil that had previously covered his hand, then dissolved after another slow blink.

* * *

Hoboken Police Station  
Hoboken, NJ  
2:10 PM EST

"Got the results back from the autopsy," Reyes said, handing Doggett the file folder she was carrying to him as he sat at the desk that used to belong to Will and Cara. "No trace of the virus whatsoever."

"So … it transferred again?" Doggett said, sighing. "I ran the sketches from the witness accounts through the database, which matched a security guard there. They questioned him, but got nowhere. His polygraph was clean and he has an airtight alibi."

"Do you think it was a bounty hunter?" Reyes asked softly.

"Probably … they're cleaning up things."

"If that's true, then Chad Wentworth is in danger, John."

"Last I heard, Chad Wentworth was taken in by his uncle and aunt in Basking Ridge. I'll head over there now. How about you go down to the Terminal and review the footage from last night to see if you can catch him on camera?"

"Sounds good."

"I'll call Mulder and update him."

* * *

Farmington, NM  
12:21 PM MST

Cara laced her fingers with Will's tightly as he walked alongside her down the main street of Farmington. The gauzy bright blue sundress Cara wore flowed over her baby bump, its thin straps showing off her tanned arms and shoulders. Her golden brown hair, woven in a loose braid, rested over her right shoulder as her left hand was caressed by Will's right hand. American flags decorated the lamp posts of the town's street, red, white and blue sprinkled all over the shops and restaurants in the form of streamers, flags and Americana decor.

"This is nice," Cara said, feeling Will squeeze her hand.

"It is," he replied softly, still staring straight ahead through his aviators. Cara took a long look at her husband, knowing he had caught the eye of more than just Joy in his dark denim pants, white tee shirt, western boots and messy brown hair that he hadn't had cut in quite a while, seeing the glances some of the women they passed on the street gave him. Will, though, was focused - Cara wasn't even sure if it was her he was focused on, or whether he hadn't quite relaxed enough to stop looking for bounty hunters around every corner they passed.

"Will, you need to relax," Cara said bluntly, eyeing him.

"I am relaxed."

"Yeah, and I'm Mother Teresa."

"I'm just keeping an eye on things."

"Damnit, Will!" Cara said, stopping and turning to look at him. "All I ask is for one normal moment for the year 2012. Is that too much to ask?"

Will sighed, looking down at her through his sunglasses. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Cara eyed him silently for a moment. "What happened last night, Will?" she asked gently. He refused to tell her the night before when he came to get her shortly after she hung up with her mother.

"Predictions of the future," he murmured, knowing she would be irritated with his vague reply.

"Will …"

"Really, that's it." Will put his hand over his heart. "I promise."

"John had a vision of the water?" Cara asked.

Will nodded. "That, and horizontal lightning that would run coast to coast that would cause people to die."

"Do you think it's literal horizontal lightning?"

"It's probably scientifically impossible, Cara."

"So are we, supposedly."

Will frowned at her. "Come on. Mom and Dad are probably already at the restaurant." He knew he was clear enough in indicating he didn't want to talk about it anymore. She remained quiet, wanting to respect his unspoken wish as they continued down the sidewalk.

Holding the door to the small Mexican restaurant they had agreed to meet Mulder and Scully at, Will took off his sunglasses and followed Cara inside, spotting his parents at a small table in the back corner of the room. Instinctively, Will pulled Cara's chair out for her, sitting beside her across from his father, his back to the entrance of the restaurant. "You guys have fun at the parade?" Scully asked, sipping her iced tea.

"It was nice to see civilization other than at the settlement," Cara mumbled, still irritated at Will's lack of personality due to his obsessive focus on protecting her.

Mulder raised his eyebrow. "Everything alright?" he asked.

"It's my fault," Will said softly. "I just … can't seem to relax."

"In his defense, he's just concerned," Cara said quickly, surprising Will.

"You do need to enjoy this time, William," Scully advised.

"I just don't feel like it's wise to let my guard down right now," Will said, sighing. "I guess flying under the radar is more comfortable."

No one responded - they didn't know how to. They each knew Will was right, that laying low had its benefits as far as having less worry associated with it. Yet, they knew he knew how crucial it was for Cara to feel like she had a somewhat normal life right now. "We're headed down to the rodeo after this," Will said finally, a glint of humor in his eyes. "Cara wants to see hot cowboys riding bulls."

"Can you blame her?" Scully said, a small, teasing smile creeping onto her face.

"Your mother always had a soft spot for reckless behavior in a man," Mulder commented, amused. "After all, she ended up with me."

"I guess that's one quality you didn't get from your father," Cara said with a smirk.

"Hey, I can be reckless," Will defended.

"Sure, sure you can."

"This is pretty damn reckless for me, parading you out here around town right now."

"Reckless for you is child's play for everyone else."

"Fine," Will said, his lopsided grin highlighting the mischievousness in his eyes. "You want reckless? I'll give you reckless." He leaned in, whispering something in Cara's ear that Scully and Mulder saw made her blush instantly. "How does that sound, Adventure Girl?" Will added after he withdrew from her side, still grinning as he sipped his water through the straw in his glass.

Cara cleared her throat, sipping her own water quietly. "I'll believe it when I see it," she replied.

"He really is your son, isn't he?" Scully said Mulder, laughing gently at the exchange between Will and Cara.

As he smiled, Mulder caught sight of two men entering the restaurant, his smile fading quickly. "Will, take Cara out through the back. Now," he ordered softly, seeing the men in dark suits talking to the hostess, showing her a photograph.

Knowing better than to turn around or question his father, Will stood, gripping Cara's hand as they quickly left the table. Will pressed Cara through the back door after opening it quietly, now finding himself in an alleyway behind the restaurant with her. "Come on," Will said, gripping Cara's hand as he fled toward a mass of people.

"Who was it, Will?" Cara asked as Will checked over his shoulder at their surroundings.

"FBI," he replied. "I heard their thoughts as soon as my dad told us to leave. They're looking for us."

"I thought they'd given up," Cara mumbled.

"Me too."

Will stopped, his mind telling him to immediately turn left down a street he hadn't been before. "This way," he said, dragging Cara as she tried to keep up with him, rushing down the sidewalk further from the restaurant.

"Will, I'm carrying two kids in my uterus. Can you slow down just a bit?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not really," he quipped. "Not if you want to keep carrying those two kids in your uterus."

They wove through the people that filled the town; Cara was unsure of her bearings, but knew that Will had control of their destination. His grip never weakened on her hand, but rather seemed to tighten as his eyes frantically scanned the crowd. She knew he was most likely reading the minds of the people they saw, seeing the pain he tried to conceal as his mind worked overtime to ensure he didn't miss someone who was out to get them.

Will paused momentarily, seeing Cara's need for a break. He blocked her against a stone wall, shielding her from every direction as he let her catch her breath, still carefully analyzing the people around them. "Will, I think we lost them," Cara said softly, seeing the tension and panic in his face.

"Maybe. Maybe not," was his reply as he scanned the sidewalks and road in front of them.

"Will." He turned, feeling her hand on his arm. "Will, let's go home."

"No," he said softly, knowing how badly he wanted to give her a moment of normalcy in her life. "I think you're right. I think we lost them." Will pulled out his phone, seeing a text from his father:

**All clear here. Where are you?**

Will swallowed, typing back quickly:

**Northeast end of town. **

Will waited a bit, then saw the reply from his father come through:

**Meet you at the square.**

Tucking his phone back into his pocket, Will looked carefully at Cara, reaching up to touch her face. "You okay?" he asked, seeing her wincing in pain. "What's wrong?"

"I'm okay," Cara replied, her hand on her stomach. "I think … no, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

Cara nodded. "Yeah, just probably a false alarm."

"What do you mean?"

"Contractions. I think that's what they were anyway."

Will's eyes widened. "It's too early!" he said, his voice rushed. "Are you okay? You need to lie down and-"

"Will, it's probably Braxton Hicks contractions," Cara assured him gently. "They just took me by surprise, that's all. I think it was the running that spurred them on."

Will nodded. "Okay, we'll take it easy from now on," he said, stroking her cheek. "You sure you're okay?" He smiled when he saw her nod. "I told Dad we'd meet him at the square."

"Okay."

"Do you want me to carry you?"

Cara laughed. "I think you might draw more attention by carrying me a mile down the road."

"I just … don't want you to be hurting."

"I'm fine, Will. I promise."

"Alright, come on," Will said, leading them back toward the meeting place. "Well," Will said softly as he scanned their surroundings, heading toward the town square, "was this reckless enough for you today?"

A crooked grin formed on his face as he felt Cara's distinct right hook land into his arm.

* * *

He stared out into the crowd now forming near the site for the fireworks that evening through his dark sunglasses, his cell phone pressed against his ear. "We've got a location on Mulder and Scully," the agent said after waiting for the other line to pick up. "What are your orders?"

"Let Joy handle them, like we said before. I want you and Buckley to get me Caraline English," Klim said firmly.

"Sir ... she wasn't with them."

"Then _find_ her," Klim growled into the phone. "She's seven months pregnant. How hard can it be to spot her?!"

"We can't gain an advantage with William's abilities," the agent argued defensively.

"Well," Klim said, his eyes narrowing, "I suggest you find a way, or else find yourselves the hunted instead of the hunter."

The agent swallowed. "Yes, sir."

* * *

As they waited for Will and Cara to arrive at the busy town square, Mulder heard his phone chirping in his pocket. He fished it out and immediately answered, seeing it was Doggett.

"Mulder."

"Mulder, it's Doggett," Doggett said, driving in his car as he talked to him. "Which do you want first, the bad news or the worse news?"

"Does it really matter?" Mulder mumbled, beginning to feel defeated at the idea of such negativity awaiting him.

"Alright. Bad news is, the virus transferred and we currently don't have any clue as to where."

"Where did it happen?"

"The Hoboken Terminal. Monica is on her way now to reviewing security footage to see if she can pinpoint anyone who might have received it."

"So what's the worse news?" Mulder asked, meeting Scully's eyes with his own.

"The second person it transferred to, a college student named Kenny Greenwood, is dead." Doggett sighed. "One shot by a nine millimeter caliber weapon to the head."

"Execution style," Mulder said softly. "They're cleaning up the mess."

"Which is why I'm on my way to try to intercept Chad Wentworth. He's next on their list if they haven't gotten to him already. Without Chad, we don't have a damn thing to connect back to the cave."

"Shit." Mulder paused. "What about Jenson?"

"We followed up at the pharmaceutical company this morning, but it wound up being a dead end. All we have are six names that check out through every system. We can't seem to find any indication that the deferasirox has been sold to operatives in the government."

"You won't find that on paper," Mulder mumbled. "When you can, send me the files on the six doctors. I want to take a look at them."

"Sure. What are you hoping to find?"

"A miracle."

Mulder hung up, looking down at Scully. "The virus transferred again. The second infected person was executed," he explained softly.

Scully's eyebrow arched. "Bounty hunter?"

"More than likely."

"Is there any indication who it transferred to?"

"Monica is reviewing security footage. Doggett's trying to locate the first infected kid to protect him."

"Where did it transfer at?"

"The Terminal."

"Mulder … it could have gone anywhere," Scully said, her eyes widening. "I mean, I know the Terminal probably only serves a certain section of the Northeast, but there's no way to tell how far it could have gone after that."

"Let's just hope that Monica pulls something from the footage. I've got Doggett sending me the background checks. I want to look at them myself." Scully saw Mulder's fist tighten beside him. "Damnit, I feel so useless out here," he said, his voice strained with worry.

Scully was silent, her eyes falling on the crowd as she looked for Will and Cara. "Maybe … maybe we need to divide," she suggested quietly, feeling Mulder's gaze on her as she looked away from him. "Maybe you need to go to New Jersey."

"What about you?" he asked gently.

"I'll stay with William and Cara," she offered.

"I'm not leaving you behind, Scully," Mulder replied.

"What choice do we have, Mulder?" Scully asked, turning to him. "They need your expertise on this. We … we need to stop this before it keeps growing."

"William will never allow it." Mulder sighed deeply. "Besides, do you think the police and feds would be so willing to let me waltz around Hoboken after aiding and harboring a fugitive?"

"Maybe it'll be like last time," Scully suggested. "Maybe you can work a deal."

"With the FBI?" Mulder asked, not convinced. "No one in the FBI cares about us anymore, Scully. They'd rather see innocent people die than to admit they need us."

"Mulder … if we don't stop this virus, there's no telling how far it will go." Scully's voice wavered, the fear evident in it.

"This wasn't designed to be stopped, Scully," Mulder whispered, combing her hair behind her ear. "It wasn't even designed to be maintained."

"Mulder, a virus is out there, infecting God knows how many people with no possible way to contain it. As a medical doctor, it goes against everything I stand for to sit back and let people become infected."

"What can we do, Scully?" Mulder asked gently, trying to help her understand the bleakness of the situation. "All we can do is try to find the men behind it. If we stop them, we stop everything."

"These men … Mulder, these 'men' will never be found." Scully swallowed. "We're kidding ourselves to think we can gain an advantage on them."

Mulder nodded gently, knowing Scully already knew he was aware of their predicament, but chose to try to comfort her instead of feed into her worries. "I can't believe I'm saying this, Mulder …" Scully said softly, searching his eyes. "But … if our son is the answer, like the prophecy said … what will he have to sacrifice to end this?"

"I won't let him sacrifice himself, Scully," Mulder whispered, taking her hands into his. He saw she was about to interject, and gently pressed a finger to her lips. "We're not losing him again, Dana," he said, letting his finger remain on her full, partially-opened lips. "I promise."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep," Scully said softly after he removed his hand from her mouth.

* * *

Basking Ridge, NJ  
3:31 PM EST

"Mister and Missus Wentworth?" Doggett asked, seeing the two adults, Chad's paternal uncle and aunt by marriage, answer the door to the large tudor-style home. "I'm Agent Doggett with the FBI. Is Chad home?"

"He's … in the guest room," Mrs. Wentworth said softly. "I thought this matter was cleared already?"

"Ma'am, I have reason to believe that your nephew may be in danger," Doggett said. "I'd like to take you all into protective custody until we can resolve this."

"Why would Chad be in danger?" Mr. Wentworth asked.

"Can we speak inside?" Doggett asked. Mr. Wentworth hesitantly opened the screen door, allowing Doggett to step into their hallway. "Chad's friend, Kenny Greenwood, was found murdered last night at the Hoboken Terminal."

"Oh my God," Mrs. Wentworth said softly, clutching her husband's hand.

"And you think Chad is next?" Mr. Wentworth asked, baffled.

"Your nephew was the only other student who went on the expedition to Sybil's Cave. We believe that whatever they recovered from the site is valuable enough to kill for." He looked up the staircase leading to the bedrooms. "I'll wait here. Please, pack a bag and I'll take you to a safe haven until we're able to take the shooter into custody."

Nodding with worry, the Wentworths headed upstairs, disappearing into the hallway where Doggett could no longer see them. A few moments later, Doggett heard several rounds fired and he instantly flew up the stairs with his gun drawn. He peered into the open rooms, carefully trying to see where the shooter was. It was then that he saw the lifeless bodies of Chad and his aunt and uncle in what appeared to be the guest room. After checking their non-existent pulses, Doggett saw the window was open, the air blowing inside freely, causing the curtains to dance. He looked out of it, seeing a tall figure running away.

He quickly bolted down the stairs, threw open the front door and ran after the man he saw fleeing the scene. "FBI!" he yelled, seeing a glimpse of him in the distance as he ran hard and fast. "Stop right there!" Doggett aimed his gun expertly at the figure in front of him who had stopped. "Drop your weapon!" Doggett ordered, keeping his aim on the man as he stepped a bit closer. The man complied, his hands lingering at his sides. "On your knees!" Doggett watched as the man dropped to his knees. "Hands behind your head!" Fishing out his handcuffs, Doggett approached the man as he laced his fingers behind his head.

As he was about to cuff him, Doggett was thrown back with incredible strength into a fence behind him by the man, who quickly turned toward him. His gun fell onto the ground and skittered away as Doggett slammed into the wood, the boards cracking against his back. Groaning in pain and trying to move enough to retrieve his gun, Doggett's eyes widened as the man appeared over him, looking at him with a small smile.

It was Billy Miles who stared down at him, readying himself to finish Doggett.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Philadelphia, PA  
3:31 PM EST

There was much to be done, but seemingly very little time to do it. He fixed his eyes down on the documents in front of him, knowing the current laboratory results of the filtration system developed by his associates proved to be inconclusive for its effectiveness on the water samples tested. It didn't matter - it had to be pushed through the approval process. The technology and all it promised to achieve for the general public needed to counteract the recent deaths before the buy-in was lost. He signed each page necessary with a quick stroke of his ballpoint pen, smiling in satisfaction as he finished. His eyes filled with oil momentarily, disappearing when he received a knock on his office door.

"Come in," he said, watching the young assistant come into his darkened office. "What is it?"

"Sir, the laboratory sign-off sheets are needed," the young man standing in front of him said. "The team is anticipating your feedback of corrections and-"

"There are no corrections necessary," he said, smiling at the young man as he handed him the packet.

The young man looked confused. "The results were inconclusive and-"

"Are you questioning my judgment?" he asked, eyeing the young man.

"No, sir," the young man stammered. "I'll get this to the team right away."

"And see to it they begin mass market development immediately," he added.

"Yes, sir."

He watched as the young man left his office, picking up his phone and dialing a number quickly though he had never called it before or spoken to the man on the other end.

"Yes?" the voice on the other end asked.

"This is Doctor Schoenfeld. The approvals have been submitted. We will begin mass market development immediately."

"Excellent," the man on the other line, who was the bounty hunter, said. "I'll see to it the press is notified."

* * *

New York City, NY  
3:43 PM EST

"Our contact in Philadelphia has pushed through the filtration system," the bounty hunter said after hanging up with Doctor Schoenfeld. He eyed the toothpick man and the others as they sat in the private, dimly-lit room.

"He will need to be eliminated now," the mustache man said.

"I've taken care of Greenwood," the bounty hunter said. "Wentworth is being taken care of as we speak. I can add Schoenfeld to the list."

The toothpick man's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, Wentworth is being taken care of?" he asked, his anger building.

"I've had a replacement address the situation," the bounty hunter said.

"And how is that smart?" the toothpick man asked. "Now he has an identifiable face!"

"He won't be around long enough to identify him," the bounty hunter replied confidently.

"What replacement was sent?" the toothpick man demanded.

"Billy Miles," the younger man said.

"For God's sake," the the toothpick man yelled, "don't you understand the implications of this?" His eyes were fixed on the bounty hunter. "You're drawing more attention by using a replacement than keeping it a consistent, targeted plan using yourself!"

"Greenwood's death will appear as a drug deal gone bad," the dark-skinned man said. "Wentworth will appear as post-traumatic-stress induced homicidal rage. We can always have Schoenfeld suffer from a heart attack. Not uncommon at his age."

"Your services are no longer needed if you are against this approach," the bounty hunter said to the toothpick man.

The toothpick man paused, silent as he eyed the man in front of him. "This was never your intention, was it?" he asked softly. "You never intended to use merely the water."

"Of course not," the bounty hunter replied.

"Mass chaos will urge the people to lean on the government," the mustache man explained. "The nation will soon be in upheaval with the awakening of the other sites, leaving the filtration system as the only positive."

The toothpick man shook his head. "You're making a fatal mistake," he said darkly. "You've turned this into a blood bath. You'll only draw more unwanted attention with your egregious actions."

"As I said before," the bounty hunter said, stepping toward the toothpick man, "your services are no longer needed. You no longer hold the clout you once did for this project."

"We've deemed this the best approach," the dark-skinned man said in support.

The toothpick man swallowed, seeing the eyes of the four others on him. "Mark my words," he said darkly, "this WILL go to hell because of your desire to see William suffer." He eyed the bounty hunter, who smiled at him.

"The recent events will all get lost on the news in a few days. We've got control over the media and the law. Besides, murder is nothing new for New Jersey," the mustache man remarked, taking a drag of his cigar.

"And the virus cannot be identified, nor would it ever appear in the press," the younger man offered.

"Heightening William's rage will only draw him closer to us," the dark-skinned man added.

"So I see the decision has been made, then." The toothpick man eyed each one of the others individually, his eyes then resting on the bounty hunter. "I look forward to seeing you fail," he sneered, slamming the door as he exited the room in anger.

"Do we tell Miles to eliminate Schoenfeld?" the younger man asked.

"Yes, but contain the virus. I'd like to save it for a rainy day," the bounty hunter replied.

"What of our associate?" the mustache man asked.

"See to it that our disillusioned friend is shown the error of his doubt," the bounty hunter replied.

* * *

Basking Ridge, NJ  
3:43 PM EST

Doggett's eyes widened as Billy Miles stood over him. He shut his eyes briefly, eternally grateful for the large chunk of magnetite he had kept on his person since returning to the east coast after Will's trial, knowing it was the only thing saving him at the present. He saw Miles' pained reaction to the stone in his chest pocket as he approached him, and he scrambled for his gun, cocking it as he stood and aimed it at Miles. "I've got magnetite bullets in here, so I'd advise you to freeze," Doggett growled, seeing Miles' eyes narrow at him.

Doggett saw Miles step backwards away from him and tightened his grip on his gun. "I said, freeze," he yelled. Miles stopped, his eyes flicking to the police officers now rounding the corner, yelling at him to surrender as they aimed their guns at him. With a small smile to Doggett, Miles turned and quickly ran, the bullets aimed at him hitting him but not affecting him as he disappeared out of sight. "Get an APB out on a Billy Miles," Doggett yelled, though he knew the efforts they made would be pointless - Miles wouldn't be caught, no matter what they tried, nor would he harm anyone else now that Chad and Kenny were dead. The trail was cleaned up.

"Damn!" he yelled, grumbling as he pulled out his cell phone, dialing Reyes quickly. "Monica, guess who's in town?" he said when she answered, making his way back to his car.

"Who?" Reyes asked, sitting in the security office reviewing footage of the Terminal.

"Billy Miles," Doggett replied, hearing Reyes' shock.

"What happened, John?"

"Miles killed Wentworth and his aunt and uncle, then nearly killed me."

"Then the trail is cleaned up," Reyes whispered. "He escaped, I take it?"

"Yeah, and we don't have a damn thing now," Doggett growled. "It would've been more dangerous for the police to try and capture him, and I didn't have a clear shot after he ran. I should've just taken the shot when I had the chance!"

"You and I both know if you killed Miles, they would've pinned everything on you somehow and you'd be off the case," Reyes reminded. "You did the right thing. He's on an agenda, he's working for them. He's not rogue."

"Then why do I feel like shit?"

"John," Reyes said softly, "I think it's time to bring Jenson in for questioning. He's the only other one who had direct contact with Chad and Kenny."

"I agree," Doggett said. "I'll get the background checks to Mulder, too. Maybe he can find something."

"John, I think we potentially found who the virus transferred to."

"Who?"

"I won't have an ID on him for a little while as they run it through the database, but he's the last person seen on camera with Kenny Greenwood."

"Alright, good work. I'll see you back at the station."

* * *

Hoboken Police Station  
Hoboken, NJ  
5:15 PM EST

"Can you believe this crap, Monica?" Doggett nearly yelled as he watched the evening news, the stories of Kenny Greenwood's, Chad Wentworth's and his relatives' deaths airing on network television. Reyes slowly entered the bullpen, feeling defeated before she even gave Doggett the worst of the news he hadn't yet heard. "They're saying Kenny died from a drug deal gone bad and Chad went crazy." Doggett nearly slammed his fist into the desk. "This is a losing battle, Monica," he said softly. "They've got all angles covered."

"John, I just heard from Horncheck," Reyes sighed. "We've been removed from any further investigation. They want us back in DC by tomorrow."

"Son of a bitch," Doggett grumbled.

"All we can do is work through unofficial channels, now. Otherwise we might lose all of our access."

Doggett was silent for a long moment as he caught the end of the news broadcast on the case they had been working on. "They may win this round, but I ain't giving up the fight just yet."

* * *

San Joaquin, CA  
6:19 PM PST

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

Jacqueline Torres swallowed, her breathing shallow as she observed Owen Erickson laying on her couch, his fever seeming to climb higher with each passing moment. "My boyfriend … he's got like a virus or something … I … I have no clue what is going on! You need to help me!"

"Miss, just take it easy. Help is on the way. Stay on the line with me. We have you listed at 89 Oak Tree Lane in San Joaquin, California?"

"Yes … please … please hurry! He's … oh my God, there it is again! PLEASE! Hurry!"

"What are you seeing, miss?"

"There's some kind of … black film over his eyes. He's delusional. He's says he's freezing. I've turned the heat up for him … it seems to help a little, then he gets cold again."

"Black film?" the dispatcher asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes!" Jax nearly scream. "For God's sake, you have to help him!"

"Help is on the way, miss. Just remain calm. Stay on the line with me. We've got an ambulance on the way." The dispatcher paused, seeing another senior dispatcher approaching her as she paused from recording the information from the caller.

"I'll handle this, Nancy," the man said, taking the headset quickly with worry he tried to conceal. "Miss," the man said, "please describe your boyfriend's condition."

"He's got black liquid on his eyes … like a film that comes and goes. And he's freezing. Please-"

"Get a med evac team down there," the man said to the dispatcher named Nancy, who rushed off to carry out his orders. "Alright, miss," the man said, "how long has he been in this condition?"

"Since this morning … I tried Tylenol and other stuff but-"

"Miss, listen to me carefully. I need you to turn down the heat."

"But he's cold!" Jax argued.

"Miss, please - turn down the heat in your-"

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Something is … inside of him!"

"Miss, you need to leave immediately. Evacuate the premises immediately!"

"OH MY GOD! THERE'S A … MADRE DE DIOS!"

"Leave now! Leave now!"

The young woman's piercing scream rang through the dispatcher's ears, the recording capturing both the human cries of terror and pain and the eery animalistic screams coming from the house.

"Holy shit," the man said to himself, the line now quiet. The hairs on his arms stood on end with fear. "It's happening."

* * *

Farmington, NM  
8:34 PM MST

It had been a long day, but Cara was extremely happy to have just been able to spend the time with Will, mostly alone. It worried her a little that Joy was alone at the settlement, but it worried her more that Will didn't seem overly concerned. She knew in her heart that Will didn't care for Joy - at least, she wanted to believe that when he said it - but there was still an uneasiness that Joy had introduced through her presence that was impossible for her to ignore. She had no idea how long Joy would impose herself on them, but Cara just prayed it wouldn't be much longer. The conflict she felt in her heart over it wore at her, the children inside of her weary of the woman as much as she was.

She was walking hand-in-hand with Will, browsing the vendors that lined up in the area where the fireworks show would be held, hoping to catch some impulse sales from the crowd that was gathering to the large, open space. Will had been one of those shoppers they hoped for, purchasing an over-priced blanket to spread underneath them as they took in the show.

As they headed toward the field, Cara's eyes fell on a booth a few tables down, knowing it was imperative for her to visit it - however, she had to be alone. "Will?" she asked gently, which stopped him. He turned to her. "I'm sorry. I … I think I'm getting hungry again." She smiled gently, hoping he'd fall for the lie.

"Well, you are eating for three," he replied with a smile. "What would you like? We can go to-"

"No," Cara said quickly, which confused Will. "I mean … I have to use the bathroom and I thought you could just grab something for me." She saw Will look back down toward where the food was located, knowing it was a decent distance away. "I'll be fine," she said softly. "The bathrooms are right here and I'll wait right here when I'm done."

"After those guys just tried to find us today?" Will asked. He then shook his head. "No, I'll go with you there and then I'll get my parents to-"

"Will, I don't need to be babysat," Cara argued. "I was fine at the settlement by myself. I'll be fine for ten minutes by myself here." She searched his eyes. "Please, Will … I want to relax today, but what I want more is for you to. Don't worry about me. I'm fine." She smiled at him, seeing him breaking down under her request. "I'll see you in ten minutes, right here."

"One second past ten minutes and I swear I'll tear the whole town down looking for you," Will warned; Cara couldn't tell if he was teasing or not.

"I bet I'll be done before you," Cara challenged.

"You're killing me, Cara."

"I'll be fine, Will."

Will eyed her. "Damnit," he mumbled. "I'm so weak against you."

Cara smiled. "I know."

"Alright, you listen to me," Will said, drawing her close to him, "I swear, if I see you hooking up with one of those cowboys who couldn't take their eyes off of you from this afternoon, I'll run him over with a bull myself."

Cara laughed. "You're insane. Go," she said, brushing him off after she pressed a kiss on his lips. Shaking his head, he darted off toward the food area, disappearing into the thick crowd of people. Cara's eyes immediately fell on the booth, and she quickly made her way over to it, feeling a bit out of breath as she attempted a smile at the middle-aged man standing behind it. She scanned the materials on his private chartered flight services briefly, knowing unofficial channels were the only way to getting to Hoboken without a trail left to be discovered by Will. "How much is a private flight?" she asked.

"Well, now, it all depends on when and where you've got in mind," he said. "I'm booking up pretty quickly, but I could get you on the calendar in about six or seven weeks."

"Six to seven weeks?" she asked, slightly disappointed.

"That's the soonest I've got," the pilot replied. "Lot of people booked for the summer already. But fall over New Mexico is just as nice-"

"Can you go further than New Mexico?" Cara asked.

"How much further?" the pilot asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Hoboken?" Her voice was small, hopeful.

"Where's that?"

"... New Jersey."

The pilot leaned back. "New Jersey? Well, that would certainly be a long trip." The pilot shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, darlin'. No can do."

"What if I paid you triple?" Cara asked, not meaning to sound as desperate as she knew she did.

The pilot eyed her. "This isn't some kind of illegal thing, right?" he asked, perplexed as he took in the size of her stomach. "I mean, wouldn't you be close to giving birth by then?"

"No, I just need to … keep it a surprise for my husband," Cara lied. "See, it's his birthday coming up soon and I wanted to … surprise him. He's a real mess when it comes to the finances. He'd never let me pre-purchase a flight ticket, so … I thought a private charter was the best way to go." She smiled sweetly at the man.

"I'm sorry, it's just the plane I have can't take a trip like that," the pilot said, trying to break it to her gently. Seeing her clear disappointment, he held his hand up. "Hold on," he said, digging out his wallet. He fished around for a business card, wrote a phone number on the back and then handed it to her. "This is a buddy of mine that runs a small airport in Colorado. If he can get you to New Jersey, I can get you to him. But it'd still be about seven weeks. I wrote my number on the back just in case."

Cara took the card, smiling. "Thank you," she whispered, relieved.

"Want to book with me tentatively?" the pilot asked, seeing Cara check over her shoulder. "You can always cancel if you change your mind."

"Sure," she said, watching the pilot open his calendar.

"Alright, how about August 27th?" he asked. "It's a Monday morning, but it's the next thing I've got."

"That's great," Cara said softly, quickly calculating in her head that she would be about thirty-three weeks along. _This is wrong_, she thought, the guilt rising quickly inside of herself. _Don't do this._

"Alright, August 27th it is." The pilot smiled at her. "Your name?"

"... Alice Van De Kamp," she said softly.

"Alright, Alice. Just write your phone number there and I'll be in touch. It'll be a hundred dollars from here to Colorado. One way flight. Make your own arrangements for getting back. Cash payment due the day of flight. I don't go anywhere until I've got a stack of green in my hands."

Cara quickly scribbled her cell phone number down on his calendar, checking over her shoulder for Will. "Thanks again," she said softly, disappearing into the crowd as she tightly clutched the business card in her hand, deciding to tuck it into her bra for safe keeping. She breathed heavily, trying to calm her nerves as she made her way back to the meeting spot, where she saw Will approaching in the distance with food and beverages. "See?" she said, smiling at him. "What did I tell you? Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. I think I had two heart attacks." He sighed deeply. "Come on," Will said, guiding Cara toward the field, "let's go see some fireworks."

* * *

Alexandria, VA  
10:58 PM EST

A knock on the front door shocked Doggett, who was still up, pouring information he viewed on the computer. Reyes had long since fallen asleep in the home they shared after arriving back in Virginia from New Jersey, leaving him alone with his glass of scotch as he tried to connect the pieces of the puzzle together. He knew of Doctor Schoenfeld in Philadelphia from Reyes' work on reviewing the security tapes, but without jurisdiction, he was unable to pursue questioning him through official channels. Now, it was up to them to utilize any other resources they could muster in order to track the alliance Mulder spoke of, wondering where he got his information in the first place as dead end after dead end turned up despite their best efforts.

Taking his weapon in his hand, Doggett checked the clip, satisfied when he saw it was full of magnetite bullets. He had no way of knowing who was on the other side of the door, daring to approach the side window and carefully look out through it. He sighed gently, slightly relieved at the sight, but then began to panic as he tried to figure out the reason for their visit.

He unbolted the door, sliding the security chain open and gently opened the door, his gun still in his hand. "What are you doing here?" he asked them. "You shouldn't be out right now."

"You need my help," Gibson Praise said, standing next to Walter Skinner.

"I can always use help," Doggett remarked.

"No," Gibson said quietly. "You need me to find it before it finds other people."

"Find what, Gibson?"

"The newborn alien that was just born in California."


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Shiprock Territory, NM  
9:31 PM MST

Mulder shut his eyes, feeling her small hand gently begin to knead his neck; Scully knew exactly where he carried his tension and exactly how to relieve it, her fingers pressing gently, yet firmly against his skin. With his eyes still closed as he sat hunched over the various pages of notes he composed from reviewing the background checks Doggett sent him, he allowed a throaty groan of approval to escape as he relaxed against Scully's silent attempts at easing his stress.

"Damn," he mumbled, still stuck in a massage-induced stupor.

"Find anything?" she asked softly, still working her magic on his neck and shoulders.

"Nothing important," he replied, the disgust with the progress he made evident in his voice.

"Doggett said they checked out."

"There's got to be something here, Scully." Mulder's head was still drooped, his eyes shut. "I refuse to believe there's no evidence."

"Mulder," Scully said quietly as she focused on his shoulders, "did you ever think of what you'd do if you did find any evidence?"

"I'd expose them," was his somewhat mumbled response.

"Then what?" she asked. "I mean, how many times have we been down this road, Mulder?" Scully sighed, her fingers weaving into Mulder's thick hair as she rubbed her thumbs over the base of his neck.

"If I quit now, they win," Mulder said softly, picking up his head against her touch, turning to face her.

"Haven't they already won?" Scully asked, now looking into his eyes. "Mulder … they've taken so much, and they continue to take so much more. Pretty soon, we'll have nothing left."

"So do we sit back and let them do what they please?" Mulder asked quietly, eyeing her. Scully knew it wasn't a question to be answered, because Mulder already had his answer in his mind. No. "We can't, Scully. If we do, they'll take William, they'll take his wife, his children-"

"Mulder, when the entire government is against us, how can we even possibly fight this future they've determined?"

Mulder shook his head, gripping Scully's hands. "Don't give up, Dana," he murmured. "Don't … don't give them your hope, too."

Perching on the edge of the table, Scully allowed her hands to be softly caressed by Mulder as she looked down at the floor. "Mulder," she murmured, "I … I didn't tell Cara this, but … there was something odd about her last ultrasound." She felt Mulder's eyes searching her face. "I'm not an obstetrician, but when I examined the babies' spines, I saw something troubling."

"What, Dana?" Mulder asked gently.

Scully shut her eyes. "One of the children has a mutation on its neck. Like a super soldier would." Scully saw Mulder's jaw flexed, knowing he was clenching his teeth as he tried to calm himself.

"Only one?" he asked.

She nodded. "She didn't want me to look at the genders. So, I don't know if they're both the same or one of each, but one of them definitely has it."

"What about their skull shapes?" Mulder questioned softly.

"Normal," Scully replied. "Mulder … I know no one wants to talk about it, but … what if … what if these children aren't William's?" Mulder rubbed his eyes, sighing into his hand as he let Scully's words sink into his mind. "Mulder, what if this is part of their plan? To have William protect these children, thinking they're his and that they are pure, when in reality Cara is only an incubator for something horrific? I mean, we're spending so much time trying to stop the water from becoming contaminated, but what if that's just a distraction? What if the real thing to be concerned with is what our son is willing to die to protect?"

Mulder knew Scully was right - no one did want to talk about the potential for the children to be less than angelic newborns, innocent and pure. After John's insistence that Cara was a reincarnation of a Navajo holy woman, everyone was convinced of the miraculousness of the twins inside of her womb, the legacy they would live set to change the world as they knew it. Yet, there was the troubling unknown of what happened to Cara during her imprisonment, and the unanswered question of whether the physical signs of rape she had upon being hospitalized were from William unknowingly or were from someone - or something - else.

"Gibson said they were William's," Mulder finally said softly, not fully convinced now as he let Scully's words sink deeper into his mind.

"Gibson also said he spoke with _one_ child initially," Scully whispered, her words catching Mulder's attention.

"Are you saying one might be his and the other not?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied. "I mean, I don't see how it would be possible for Cara to naturally conceive one child while having another implanted at the exact time. I … I don't think it _is_ possible."

"But it could be," Mulder murmured.

"They need to know, Mulder."

"Scully, you can't tell Cara that her children might be aliens," Mulder said firmly, searching her eyes.

"Then William needs to know."

"Scully-"

"He needs to, Mulder."

"Why, Scully?" he asked. "Why do we have to take away his hope, too?" He watched her eyes shut as she processed everything. "Let him believe in something, Scully."

"You're asking me to lie to our son? To our daughter in law?"

"I'm asking you … to preserve what you know," Mulder said quietly, seeing the struggle on Scully's face. "Just for now."

"For what purpose?" she asked. "To delay the inevitable truth? Why?"

"So he can believe, Scully," Mulder replied. "William needs to believe in good. Otherwise, he will sink into the darkness, just like they want him to. We can't allow him to be any more tainted than he already is. Without belief, William can't be the hope that the world will soon need."

Mulder stood and drew Scully into his arms, holding her tightly against himself. "I just don't want to see our son be hurt because of his belief," Scully whispered, feeling Mulder's lips on her hair.

"I know," he said softly, kissing her head. "But I think he will be hurt more without it right now."

Mulder's phone rang, interrupting the moment. As he still held Scully close, his eyes fell to the caller ID, displaying Doggett's name on the screen. Keeping his right arm around Scully, his left hand sought the phone and answered it. "Yeah," he said softly.

"Mulder, I've got more bad news," Doggett said, sitting across from Gibson and Skinner, Reyes now coming into the room carrying a pot of coffee for the group.

"I was under the impression that this distinct taste of shit in my mouth was sourced from the bottom of the barrel," Mulder said dryly, feeling Scully pull out of his arm so she could observe the conversation.

"Well, allow me to present you with something new to chew on," Doggett said, leaning forward in his seat. "I've got Skinner and Gibson here telling me that a newborn alien is running around central California."

"You're kidding me," Mulder said, his voice soft as his eyes widened. Scully grabbed the phone from him, putting it on speaker.

"Repeat that, Doggett," Scully said.

"Hi, Dana," Doggett said. "I just told Mulder that a newborn alien completed gestation tonight in central California."

"Oh my God," Scully whispered.

"How many victims?" Mulder asked.

"Two so far, 38-year-olds Owen Erickson, who was the host, and his girlfriend, Jacqueline Torres," Doggett replied.

"Where did they encounter the virus?"

"Gibson believes they came into contact with it near California Caverns in Mountain Ranch. Police are calling it an animal attack right now."

"Other sites are coming to the surface," Mulder said quietly. "Wasn't there an earthquake recently in that area?"

"Yeah, pretty big one too. A 6.3 magnitude."

"That would be enough to disturb the deposit," Scully noted.

"Wait a minute," Mulder said softly, his eyes focused on the desk for a moment as he was lost in deep thought. "It isn't just about the water."

"What do you mean?" Doggett asked.

"The water is a peace-maker," Mulder said, his mind's gears turning quickly. "They're going to let mass chaos happen so that the people will lean on the government. Without a single, targeted area, William can't aid or prevent all fatalities." Mulder paced away a bit. "Then, the water becomes tainted and … a filtration system," he said, turning back toward the phone that now laid on the table. "They're going to implement a national system in response to water contamination. Except, the filter doesn't filter, but rather deposits Purity."

"God, I hope you're wrong," Doggett said softly. His phone was now on speaker as well, and the three others in the room with him heard Mulder's theory, stunned at the thought. "Mulder, the last person we know to contract the virus was a man name Gerald Schoenfeld."

"What does he do?"

"He works for Graver Technologies in Philadelphia. We were kicked off of the case before we could question him. A.D. Horncheck pulled us back to DC."

"Twenty bucks says he's in charge of the development of the filtration system."

"So they're purposely infecting people?" Scully said.

"The virus is sentient, Scully," Mulder reminded. "It knows who it needs to occupy and for what purpose."

"Why the college kids, then?" Doggett asked.

"That had to be an accident," Mulder said, his hands finding his hips and resting on them. "They meant to infect Jenson, but the kids retrieved the sample for him."

"That's why Miles was sent to clean things up," Doggett remarked.

"Wait," Scully said, her eyebrow raised, "are you talking about Billy Miles?"

"Yeah," Doggett replied. "He killed Wentworth and his aunt and uncle, then damn near killed me."

"So Jenson is still infected, then?" Scully asked.

"More than likely," Mulder replied.

"For what purpose?"

"I think I know," Reyes said, breaking her silence. "Jenson mentioned work with the New Jersey State Environmental Department on sourcing water from Sybil's Cave."

"So along with his expertise in deferasirox, Doctor Jenson is keeping busy with the Purity contamination," Mulder said, the anger building in him.

"Then why awaken the sites?" Reyes said.

"That's a personal touch," Mulder said softly, looking at Scully. "Someone's sending a message to William."

"Wait," Skinner said, "what you're saying is, they're _not _going to contain the sites? Don't they usually try to hide this stuff?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Mulder answered, his tone flat and dry. "William befriended a bounty hunter over the last several months. I'm betting these site awakenings and the results of which are his little love notes to him."

A silence fell between the two phones, none of the participants courageous enough to speak for several moments as they digested Mulder's words. "They'll want William to surrender himself," Scully finally said, fighting the tears in her eyes. "It's the only way they'll stop."

Another moment of silence lingered between the groups. "Monica and I are going to contact the field office in California tomorrow," Doggett finally said. "Mulder …" Doggett paused. "I'm sure they know of your work on the similar case in Arizona. We could really use you guys out there."

"You know we can't," Mulder said softly.

"I most likely can get you and Scully a pardon, given the circumstances," Doggett explained.

"How do we know that Klim isn't at the head of this? Or someone like him?" Scully asked.

"We don't," Reyes said, "which is why we could use your help."

Mulder looked at Scully carefully, searching her blue eyes as she looked up at him. "If you can get the pardon, we'll meet you out there," Mulder said, keeping his eyes on Scully.

"I'll call you as soon as I know," Doggett promised, hanging up the phone with a long sigh.

* * *

10:11 PM MST

Closing the truck door behind her, Will smiled as he wrapped his arm around Cara, leading her back to their cabin as she yawned deeply. "Well, we certainly crammed it all in, didn't we?" she murmured, snuggling into his warmth as they made their way up the porch stairs.

"I'm just glad I got to spend the day with you," Will said, smiling as he unlocked the cabin door. He saw the single light on in the living room, knowing most likely it was Joy who was still up.

"Welcome back," Joy said with a smile to Will, then glancing at Cara, feeling the daggers aimed at her by her as she stood, clad in a pair of tiny sleep shorts and a form-fitting tank top. "Did you have fun?"

Turning away from Joy, Will grabbed Cara's hand. "Best day I've had in a long time," he replied softly, kissing it gently.

"Aww, that's good," Joy said, forcing her smile to remain on her face. "Not much happened here, in case you were wondering," she added, seeing Will linger as Cara made her way into the bedroom. "Pretty quiet. I must say, your book collection is very interesting. I like your taste."

"I'm not much of a reader," Will said, shifting toward the bedroom. "The books are mainly Cara's."

"Oh." Joy's voice was small with disappointment. "Well, in any case, all is well here."

"Good." Will nodded gently, then turned toward the bedroom.

"Oh, Will?" Joy asked as he was about to disappear down the hall. She saw him turn, and flashed another smile at him. "I made some dinner if you … both … are hungry."

"We ate at the festival," Will replied gently, "but thanks. Goodnight."

Joy watched as Will slipped down the hall, hearing the bedroom door open and shut gently behind him. "Sweet dreams," she murmured, annoyed with the results of their interaction as she sank back down on the couch.

"I'm surprised you came so quickly," Cara mumbled as she heard Will enter the bedroom, her back still to him as she finished changing into her over-sized t-shirt and leggings she was planning to wear to bed.

Will shook his head as he stripped his tee shirt off. "Seriously, Cara?" he asked softly.

"I saw you noticing her attire … or should I say, lack of it."

"Caraline Jane Mulder, get over here."

Cara turned around. "What?" she asked, now feeling the ridiculousness of her jealousy as she looked into Will's eyes.

"Get over here, woman," Will said, a grin on his face.

"God, I'm such a girl," Cara mumbled, sighing as Will took her into his arms. "I hate hormones." She laughed gently, feeling Will's laugh under her face as she rested her head on his bare chest.

"I have to say, I'm somewhat entertained with this catty side of you," Will commented, hearing her laugh again.

"I bet you are."

"It's quite fascinating, really."

"Don't hold your breath for a mud or jello pit wrestling match between us."

"How about just you in the mud or jello?"

"No."

"What about whipped cream?"

"No."

"Chocolate sauce?"

"No, but now I want a sundae."

Will leaned his head back in annoyance, hearing the knock on the front door. "I swear, it's probably my parents," he grumbled.

"They seem to be good at catching us in the bedroom lately," Cara teased.

With a groan, Will grabbed his gun and left the bedroom, forgetting to put his shirt back on. He peered out the window near where Joy was, not realizing the impact his state of undress had on her as Joy watched with renewed interest. "Hi, Dad," Will said when he opened the door. "What's wrong?"

"Were you sleeping?" Mulder asked.

"No, Cara and I just got home."

"Do you have a few minutes? Your mom and I need to talk to you."

"Sure, I'll grab Cara and-"

"Just you, William."

Will eyed his father, confused with the request. "Why?" he asked.

"It's best for now," Mulder said softly, hoping his son would understand.

He did. "Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Will closed the door, sighing as he headed back toward the bedroom, too distracted by his father's request to feel Joy's eyes following him. He opened the bedroom door quietly, seeing Cara curled up in bed, already asleep. "Cara?" he whispered after pulling his shirt back on. He saw her eyes flutter open. "I'm sorry," he said, "my dad just needs to talk to me for a bit."

"Is everything okay?" Cara asked.

"Yeah," Will lied, having previewed his father's thoughts. "They'd just rather keep it private." He knew Cara would understand the implication of Joy. "I know you're tired, so I'd rather you just get some sleep."

"You mean you're letting me be alone?" Cara teased, her voice soft with the haze of slumber still present.

He grinned. "Don't sound so excited to ditch me," he teased back, kissing her forehead. He tucked the gun beside her. "Sleep tight. I'll be back in a little bit."

* * *

1:39 AM MST

With a sudden sense of urgency, Cara woke, pushing herself up from her sleep as she tried to focus in the darkened room. She felt the coolness of the gun near her hands and gripped it, knowing Will still wasn't in the bed. _What time is it? _she asked herself, flicking on the light and examining the small clock on the nightstand.

Now more panicked as she realized the time that had passed, Cara stood, her hands gripping the gun securely as she opened the bedroom door, peering out into the darkened hall. From what she could tell, there were no lights on. Her breath was shallow as she looked into the living room, seeing Joy's sleeping form on the couch. She was grateful for her ability to pass Joy without disturbing her, not really wanting to have to deal with the woman at the present - her worries for her husband were enough.

She froze in the kitchen when she heard a noise come from the back porch, and she lifted her gun up, aiming it at the back door as she slowly approached it. Hearing another similar noise, which sounded like rocks being kicked in the dirt, Cara carefully opened the back door, her mouth opening when she saw what was outside.

"Will?"

He didn't turn, but rather chose to pitch another rock into the darkness that was near him on the ground where he sat, his knees to his chest. The moon above them illuminated him, revealing the multiple empty beer bottles that were scattered around him. "Will, what are you doing?" she asked, coming down the stairs, realizing as she stepped on the warm desert ground that she didn't have shoes on.

"Nothing," he said, "absolutely nothing." His words were a little sloppy; Cara knew it was most likely as a result of the alcohol Will consumed.

"Then why are you out here?" she asked, coming to sit next to him.

"I needed some space so I could hate myself," he mumbled, pitching another rock. Cara looked out into the darkness Will was so focused on, then back to the profile of his face.

"What happened?" she questioned gently.

"A newborn alien was born tonight," Will replied stiffly, picking up one of the bottles beside him that still had liquid in it.

"Where?"

"California." He tossed back the beer easily.

"Were there victims?"

"Two, so far. Not counting the four people executed by replacements and bounty hunters in New Jersey."

"Are Doggett and Reyes …"

"They're going to try. And my parents will join them if they can get a pardon."

Cara swallowed, recognizing the darkness that was building in Will's voice. "Will … this isn't your fault."

He finally looked at her. "How do you figure it's not, Cara?" She opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted her with his angry pitch of the bottle in his hand, the glass shattering on a rock hidden in the dark. "Tell me. Enlighten me, Cara. Tell me how this isn't my fault."

"Because you didn't choose it, Will," Cara replied firmly. "You didn't choose for those people to die."

"Yes, I did," he growled. "I chose it the instant I refused to pay the price." His eyes fell back on the darkness in front of him. "I should've let them have me back in Hoboken, Cara. I should've let them drain the life out of me. Then you wouldn't be in trouble, my parents would be safe, and everyone who has died would still be alive."

"Will, you know just as well as I do that even if you did let them kill you, they would still do what they're doing." She saw Will was listening and continued after a pause. "Only, if you had died, there would be no one to hope in."

"Who's hoping in me right now?" Will asked, angry. "Do you think the people who were shot or torn apart by a fucking alien would really agree that they would rather have me alive right now?"

"I'm hoping in you, Will," Cara whispered, taking his hand into hers. "So are your children."

Will took a long look at Cara, feeling his eyes clouding with tears. "I'm not Superman, Cara," he said, his voice still darkened. "The sooner you realize that, the better."

"So that's it, then?" Cara asked, her disappointment rising in her. "You've given up, Will? Decided to throw a pity party out here with yourself as the guest of honor?"

"What do you want me to do, Cara? Pretend like I'm not affected? Would you rather me be heartless?"

"No, Will, I'd rather you feel. But I'd also rather you recognize that what they choose to do isn't because of you. It's because _they_ don't feel." Cara tenderly combed her fingers through Will's soft hair. "Will, I think it's time we fight back." His eyes searched hers in the darkened atmosphere. "I think it's time to stop hiding and start showing them that you're a force to be reckoned with."

"No," he murmured. "That means you're vulnerable."

"Will, I've been a cop longer than I've been your wife," Cara argued gently. "I think I can take care of myself."

"I know you can take care of yourself, Cara. I've seen it. This is different, though. I don't think any of us are prepared to handle these things alone." Will wrapped a thick section of Cara's hair around his finger, watching it untwist and swing away from him.

"Then let me fight with you."

"Haven't we been through this before?"

"Will-"

"Cara, my answer will always be the same. You mean too much to me."

"And my answer will always be the same, too. I'm not going anywhere."

He allowed himself to sink deep into her beautiful blue eyes, remembering the deja vu moment in the motel room before they gave every last thing they had to each other. "I know," he said softly, feeling her hair with his fingers.

"Come on," she whispered. "You need to rest up so you're ready to kick some alien ass."

Will let his crooked grin free, allowing it to slowly widen on his face. "God, I'd be so lost without you," he breathed, tucking Cara's hair he had been playing with behind her ear. He gripped her hand, helping her to stand with him, kicking the bottle that had rolled near the porch stairs away as they quietly returned to the house.

Moments later as he climbed into bed with his wife, Will closed his eyes and held Cara tightly, the darkness of his mind ever present, as it always had been. Regardless of the wisdom bestowed on him, it always waited to welcome him back to another night of hellish rest, ready to consume him further into its endless depths.

* * *

Joy slowly turned over, having heard the conversation between Will and Cara through the open window while she pretended to be sleeping. She sent a quick text while keeping watch over the darkened hallway to make sure no one saw her:

**Mulder and Scully will be going to California soon. **

She was surprised when she received a rather quick reply, considering the time of night:

**We will keep tabs on them. You continue to build William's trust.**

She replied quickly:

**Why don't we just take Will and Cara while they aren't here?**

Another message buzzed in:

**We would never be able to extract William successfully, nor would he let us extract Caraline. Stick to the plan. Besides, when I have Caraline in my possession, I need her to be ready to give birth. **

Frowning, she typed her response:

**That won't be for about two months. And what if she can't be convinced to leave alone?**

The reply appeared on the screen:

**Don't worry, she will. She believes it to be the only way.**

* * *

Natchez Trace State Park  
Near Lexington, TN  
05:24 AM CST

He scratched his grayed beard, eyeing the younger man who slept in the sleeping bag across from him. "Johnny?" he asked, peering down at the younger man, who reminded him so much of a reflection of himself decades previous. "You alright, Johnny?" the older man asked.

It was unlike his son, Johnny, to still be asleep at this hour when they camped; his son relished the early morning for their hunting excursions they took, always claiming it to be the best for selection of animals to be trapped. The older man saw the beads of sweat on his son's brow, and kneeled over him, examining his still-sleeping form. "Boy, are you drunk?" he asked, shoving him in the side.

With reflexes he had never witnessed before, the older man gasped as his son grabbed his arm tightly, slowly sitting up from his camping bag. "Shit, boy, it's your old man," the older man grumbled, trying to free himself from his son's grasp. When Johnny wouldn't release him, he swallowed, now frightened by the darkness he saw in his son. "What the hell!" He tried to back away, but his son easily overpowered him, now dragging him to stand as he stood. It was then that the older man saw the black oil swirl over his son's eyes, his desperate screams of pain from the intense flash of heat he was subjected to lost in the vastness of the forest.

* * *

Hoover Building  
Washington DC  
11:02 AM EST

"Come in."

A.D. Horncheck remained seated as Doggett and Reyes slipped into his office. "It's my understanding, agents, that you overstayed your welcome in New Jersey," he said, flipping through the report that they had prepared for him regarding their findings. "Your accounts of the murders and the circumstances surrounding them are all very incredible, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not as incredible as the related circumstances that we were notified of by three of our field offices in the last twenty-four hours," Doggett said calmly, handing two files to Horncheck, who took them with curiosity. "Two people are dead in San Joaquin, California from what our field agents there are describing as an 'animal attack,' which as you can see almost identically resembles a similar X-File that was investigated by Agents Mulder and Scully in 1998. This previous case has relevance to the current one we were investigating through the connection of a biological virus which can manifest itself in many different ways, as noted in our report." Doggett paused, watching as Horncheck compared the files of the recent deaths in California to that of the one Mulder and Scully had previously worked on in Arizona. "Also, we just got a call from the field offices in Tennessee and Missouri, claiming that between both states over the last twenty-four hours, eleven more people were found burnt to death in the same exact way as in Seaside Heights." Doggett dropped the files onto Horncheck's desk, seeing the Assistant Director reviewing the photographs he had received via email from the field offices. "In both states, there was clear evidence to support our claims of death by radiation, which you will see highlighted in each file."

After a long moment, Horncheck looked up at Doggett, closing the files. "What are we dealing with here, Agent Doggett?" he asked softly, his glance moving to Reyes quickly before returning to him.

"With your permission, sir, we'd like to be able to figure that out," Doggett replied. Sensing he was willing to comply with their request, he inhaled slowly, adding, "And we'd like to request the ability to recruit expert consultants."

Horncheck eyed Doggett. "You want a pardon for them, is that it?" he asked.

"Sir," Doggett said carefully, "I know we would have more success in working with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully on this than without them."

"They aided and harbored a fugitive," Horncheck reminded him. "They stole a vehicle and-"

"Sir, without them, this will keep happening. We're in over our heads."

Horncheck folded his arms over his chest as he leaned back and looked at the agents in front of him. "What would their involvement be?" he asked.

Doggett knew what Horncheck wanted to hear. "Mulder's ability to construct profiles is critical to securing the person or people responsible, and Scully's experienced forensic pathology background in this particular realm will only help us to understand this virus better."

"Are they in contact with Van De Kamp?" Horncheck asked.

"No," Doggett lied, though his appearance was convincing and confident.

"You do realize that this pardon is very dangerous for the FBI, Agent Doggett."

"I do realize the potential it has for the media, sir. But I think the potential lives that will be lost without their assistance will be a far greater danger to not only the FBI, but the government as a whole."

Horncheck remained silent as he examined Doggett's face. "I'll grant them the pardon, Agent Doggett, under one condition. I need collateral."

"Sir?"

"I want everything you know on Van De Kamp."

Doggett swallowed; Reyes shifted in her seat. "Sir-"

"Do you think I'm blind? Do you think this bureau is going to let you both sit back and retain everything you learned about Van De Kamp while he was in custody? I want everything, Agent Doggett. From how he takes his coffee to a list of his ex-lovers. I want to know which side he dresses to and what he's capable of. _Everything_, Agent Doggett." Horncheck tilted his head to the side a little as he watched the agent in front of him. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

Reyes had no idea what Doggett would say in that moment, not even sure what she would say either. If they gave everything they knew about Will, then they would use it against him to keep sending him messages of their disapproval of his actions. If they told them lies about Will, the implications could be far more serious for everyone involved if the lies were exposed. If they didn't enlist Mulder and Scully's help, more innocent people would keep dying. Would Mulder and Scully's presence make enough of a difference to warrant exposing their son to the people who wanted to see him die?

For the first time, Doggett finally realized what Will must have felt like, the choice he had to make feeling unfair, unbearable and impossible. Yet, a choice had to be made; he closed his eyes, hoping the one he chose was the right one.

"Deal."


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Six weeks later  
August 17, 2012  
Shiprock Territory, NM  
03:57 PM MST

Perhaps it was the intense New Mexican summer sun that wore through him, causing him to lose his mind. Or it could have been the "odd" combinations of native food that he thought he had grown accustomed to over the last several months, dining on breads and puddings made with blue corn meal, yucca plant served every way imaginable, more mutton than he had ever had or cared to have, and an abundance of goat meat, since it was a rare occasion for him to eat alone and mostly ate with large groups of settlement residents. Perhaps it was just as simple as him becoming soft. Whatever the case was, after his parents began accompanying Doggett and Reyes on their investigations that were scattered throughout the country, Will had, surprisingly enough, relaxed his grip on Cara. No longer did she accompany him to every cabin job site he and the other men of the settlement would work on, nor did he object to Cara joining the women on excursions to town without him. It was the most freedom either had experienced in their relationship since January. Though he assumed a month ago when his parents decided to take the pardon that had been granted for them and fly out to California that he would have been far more concerned over Cara's protection and less apt to grant space between them, he consistently did just that, which worried Cara.

To Cara, Will seemed to be withdrawing further into himself, recognizing his reclusive tendencies and seeing patterns of old behavior resurfacing, keeping people at arm's length and his personal details short and concise in conversation. When she first met Will, she assumed he was a misunderstood guy who, perhaps, had self-esteem issues, though she had no idea why he would. Will had been popular with the female recruits at the academy, though he never seemed to take an interest in any of them beyond being a gentleman in their presence. It took about a year of knowing each other before Will would even open up to Cara about his family, skirting the issue whenever she brought up the subject. At first, she was angered by his lack of enthusiasm for sharing when she felt all she did was share, her heart permanently attached to her sleeve, visible and naked for him to examine at any time he wanted to. Yet, he was a mystery - he kept secrets, he hid and pushed people away at whim, unconcerned for the lack of balance in the friendship as Cara had been.

Cara had always suspected this behavior wasn't voluntary, that Will had assumed certain personal traits for the benefit of others, though at the time she wasn't aware of his abilities. Will, himself, was just becoming aware, and with each revelation of what he was capable of, he withdrew further into himself, afraid of what price people he was close to might have to pay if they knew. He became his own dirty little secret, labeling his entire self as a skeleton that needed to be kept in a closet, hidden away and never to be examined, even by the only person he ever trusted.

She had watched him over the years attempt to develop a facade when he was around others, pretending to be interested in the latest game scores or cracking jokes with the guys around the bullpen water cooler. Yet to her, he always looked pained around them; Cara never knew it was because he was constantly subjected to their thoughts, which often weren't the best and nearly always on full display for Will to hear in his mind, since in the beginning he hadn't quite mastered tuning people in and out. She, though, had been able to see a different side of Will, one that no one ever saw, because he didn't feel the need to pretend with her. He had no idea what she was thinking, and it actually helped him to feel more secure, as odd as he knew it was. There was a certain air of clarity he visibly felt when he sat beside her in a squad car, or across from her at their desk, like a burden was alleviated every time she was near.

Now, as Cara watched Will from a distance on the front porch of their cabin, she saw him shrunken back from the group of men he had joined to help other settlement members in neighboring towns with household projects. She knew in her heart that Will was becoming afraid, fearful of what his presence might subject others to as the time continued to draw nearer and nearer to what seemed like an unstoppable end.

Mulder, Scully, Doggett and Reyes had been successful in tracking the newborn alien a month ago, managing to destroy it, though it claimed three more lives prior to its death. They had flown home, sharing the good news with Will, only to be summoned by the FBI to another site, where Purity had struck again, more deaths flooding the news. Over the course of the six weeks, Mulder and Scully had been out of the settlement more than in, which Cara knew made Will on edge, fearing for their safety and well-being while also consumed with the reality of the situation at hand.

The growing story seemed to be that people were dying from environmental causes, that the water in certain areas had attributed to manic behavior from a higher than normal count of many minerals that the public didn't seem to question. Just last week, Graver Technologies in Philadelphia had issued a press release, offering free trial filtration systems to affected areas, which was met with an open response, the local governments working diligently to effectively implement the systems in their counties and boroughs. Of course, Mulder, Scully, Doggett and Reyes were met with opposition as they researched the different counties that had accepted the filters, finding it impossible to convince town officials to refrain from using the technology in the aftermath of so many deaths. The team concluded their best bet was to begin working on developing a replica of the vaccine, spending most of their time in labs in DC in an attempt to create one with the little knowledge and resources they had.

With her newfound freedom, Cara had been able to arrange a flight to Hoboken through the airline owner friend of the pilot she met at the Fourth of July festival in Farmington, securing a chartered flight for the 22nd of August, which was only days away. She had siphoned cash from the account she and Will shared, which was under Eric Hosteen's name, Will withdrawing too far into himself to realize the three-hundred dollars that was missing from the funds he earned on the repairs team. The thought of deceiving Will made Cara ill, and she hadn't left the cabin in over two weeks, wrestling with her decision to abandon him and solve the growing Purity infection problem herself, despite the precious lives she carried in her womb. She became less confident, though, that she was the answer as Mulder and Scully would rehash the details of their investigations upon their return, realizing that there were many sites and only one her. Still, Cara knew her mother was dying and she needed to see her, and she ultimately knew that if the deposit at Sybil's Cave could be destroyed, then so could any others that arose.

Joy had still been a presence in their home, though Cara had to admit she had fallen into somewhat of a routine, learning how to ignore Joy's overtly flirtatious nature with her husband and her questionable attire choices that she knew were driven by her lust for him. She never spoke to Joy more than in cordial conversation only when absolutely necessary, not showing her an inch of herself to her. Over the last couple of weeks, though, Cara had observed how Will began initiating conversation with her, feelings of confusion and envy stirring inside of her as she started to feel as if her role as his source of sanity was being questioned. She tried to tell herself that because Will was a gentleman, he was inclined to make sure Joy felt welcomed in their home. Yet, whether it was her hormonal haze or not, she knew that Joy had somehow managed to squeeze herself into the very small opening of his heart that she thought Will reserved for Cara, even catching him that morning before he left the cabin sharing a tender, albeit platonic moment with her that made Cara livid.

As he approached, his shirt wet with sweat and stained with dirt, Cara tried not to pounce on Will immediately, knowing how easy it was to tip the scales against herself when he was in the mode he was currently in. He surprised her, though, as he climbed the stairs, dropping his lunch bag and tools on the porch and wrapping his arms around her, as if he was very relieved to be touching her in that moment, the same relief she had witnessed when they were police partners. "Sorry, I'm sweaty," he mumbled, trying now to pull away as he realized his current state of hygiene. However, he relaxed against her when he felt her clamp onto him, sighing deeply as his hand found her well-pronounced stomach. "How are my three favorite people?" he asked softly, kissing Cara on the top of her head.

"We're doing just fine," she replied, her hands automatically finding his shoulder blades and massaging him as they embraced.

"I've got something on my mind, Cara," Will said, hoping he had the gumption to follow through with his thoughts.

"Talk to me."

"It's apocalypse related," he warned.

She wasn't concerned. She was just happy he was talking. "I'm listening."

Will sighed, pulling Cara to sit beside him on the top of the porch stairs. "Doesn't this feel like when we were first running?" he whispered, moistening his lips as he looked out toward the other cabins across from theirs. "No one calls or writes anymore. No one checks in." His dry humor shielded his fear that Cara knew was behind it. "It's as if they are waiting for something, but haven't eluded as to what."

It was Cara's inner guilt over her secret trip she had planned that made her unconsciously gulp; she was grateful Will didn't seem to notice. "The babies, I guess," she offered.

Will shook his head. "I don't think so," he replied, turning to look at her. "I feel like …" He stopped, deciding against continuing. Cara slipped her hand into his, urging him to continue through a gentle squeeze. "I feel like they know something I don't," he finally said, looking at her face carefully as he brushed the hair away from her eyes. "And it's made me wonder if there isn't at least one mole here … a snitch or two keeping tabs on us, waiting for us to get comfortable before anything starts. Or somehow we're being double-played. Duped." Cara knew Will couldn't read her mind, but she felt just as invaded, her guilt growing larger and more unbearable with each second he stroked her skin. "I know what you're thinking," Will said softly. "You're thinking it's Joy." Her lips parted, ready to defend herself, when Will gently touched her cheek. "I … I'm not disagreeing with you right now," he admitted softly, knowing Joy was gone, spending time with some of the other women and unable to hear their conversation.

"What makes you say that?" Cara asked, feeling bad for her anger she had held the entire day after seeing the interaction between Joy and Will before they both left that morning, but still allowing Joy to take the fall for her as she continued to keep her secret.

"Because she initially said she was threatened, but I have yet to see any threats in the last month and a half," Will stated. "I feel … I feel like she's trying so hard to make me see something that isn't there. It's almost like she's trying to convince herself of it, too."

Will had inherited his father's keen sensibility when it came to matters of human behavior, his gift of reading minds only an added bonus to the natural skill he possessed. "Maybe they know she's with you, and they aren't as likely to attack," Cara suggested, instantly wondering why she was even close to defending Joy in that moment.

It seemed to surprise Will, too. "I thought you'd be all over this," he remarked. "Just didn't figure you for the defense."

"I'm not defending her," Cara replied. "I guess I just don't want you to think that all I want to do is kick her out of our house."

"What I want, Cara, is the truth," Will reminded her, sighing.

"Then I would have to say that I absolutely do not trust her," Cara admitted quietly, feeling bad for the bluntness of her opinion.

"You never have," Will added. "And now part of me feels like I was a fool for not listening to you."

"You're having a premonition, aren't you?"

"Cara …"

"No, come on, Will, hear me out." Cara knew how resistant, surprisingly, that Will was to the idea of such a thing, amongst other variable phenomena. "I've seen you withdrawing. I know that this has been on your mind for quite some time. What is it?"

Will's eyes shifted back out toward the other houses. "I see her texting a lot. I'm not sure to who. I feel so hypersensitive to her, like I'm overly cautious and unjustly judgmental of the things she does. Yet, something in my gut is telling me it isn't right. It's not adding up. And I guess my ego stopped me from admitting it sooner."

"Just the texting? Are you sure there's nothing else?"

He was quiet, which Cara thought might mean he was contemplating whether the truth was worth the potential pain it could cause or not. "No, nothing else."

She wanted to ask if he was lying, his lack of eye contact signaling he was uncomfortable with the question she posed. She didn't, though, because of the burden of her own secret she harbored from him. "Well," she said, running her fingers into his messy hair, "whatever you decide, I want you to be comfortable with it." She tried to be diplomatic, knowing the last thing he needed right now was someone unwilling to consider all options, someone who tried to shut him into a corner and force his hand.

"Just like that?" he asked, still looking ahead.

Cara explained, "I love you, Will. I need to trust in your judgment and not make you choose."

It drove her absolutely insane that he didn't reply, that he didn't reveal his choice to her that instant, though she assumed he had already made it. Instead, he stood, gently pulling her with him and led her into the cabin, quietly shutting the door behind them.

* * *

New York City, NY  
07:47 PM EST

"I'm growing tired of Mulder and Scully's interference with our work," the mustache man said, exhaling smoke as he clamped his cigar between his fingers. "They're planting seeds in people's minds that constantly need to be removed."

"Let them be," the bounty hunter said, nearly laughing at the idea of the two humans being capable of destroying their intricate work. "The good they think they're doing is keeping them away from William."

"They have knowledge," the dark-skinned man said. "I might have to agree that they are not to be overlooked."

"And what knowledge do they have that we haven't given them?" the bounty hunter asked, eyeing the dark-skinned man. "We control what they know and what they think they have achieved, as well as what they think they can do to stop us." He leaned back in his seat, glancing between the two men who had just voiced their doubts. "I trust that you each would rather remain in a position of power than to end up paying for your lack of belief, like our former associate," he said. Seeing their sudden shyness, the bounty hunter smiled. "All is in place. The wait will soon be over, gentlemen. The extraneous pawns in our game will be removed from the board, which I hope will help you each to see more clearly the flawlessness of this plan."

The younger man decided to take a risk, asking, "But what about the prophecy?"

"Of the children?" The bounty hunter smiled. "As I've already said, the children of William Mulder will be destroyed, but not before we harvest what we need to replicate them."

"It is a risk to keep possession of the Shield for such a long time as you have planned," the dark-skinned man said. "William will certainly be after her as soon as he knows."

"Do you doubt my ability to contain William?" the bounty hunter asked. Seeing the dark-skinned man's silence, he continued. "Besides, our resources have provided us with useful information regarding William that will be used to keep him occupied."

"Can we trust the agents to not lie?" the mustache man asked.

"Of course they have lied," the bounty hunter replied. "Their lies only serve to reveal the truth, though."

"How will we eliminate Joy?" the younger man asked.

"Magnetite, of course," the bounty hunter said.

"But she has the deferasirox," the younger man argued.

"So does Miles and the others. It doesn't mean they cannot be killed," the bounty hunter replied. He stood, eyeing the three others carefully. "Feel free to walk out of this room and never return if you have any doubts, gentlemen. You are all just as easy to replace as you are useful to keep." Seeing their downcast eyes, the bounty hunter smiled. "We are days away, now, but don't think I take any issue with making necessary additions to our growing list of eliminations needed."

* * *

FBI Academy  
Quantico, VA  
07:47 PM EST

Scully carefully adjusted the microscope, her blue eyes focusing on the tiny sample she had deposited onto the glass underneath the powerful lense. She was alone, since Mulder, Doggett and Reyes were busy with research on the Purity-laced filter that Graver Technologies had developed and its potential eradication by the vaccine that Scully so carefully had tried to construct over the last week and a half. She had spent ten days in the labs in Quantico, only stopping to eat and sleep, Mulder needing to remind her of both as her work consumed her. Scully supposed she allowed the project to take over her mind to rid herself of her growing worries for her son, who she knew would soon need to face many obstacles she would never wish for him to.

She also worried in secret over Cara and her unborn children, still holding inside the revelation of the protrusions on the back of one of the children's neck for both her sake and William's, just like Mulder had asked her to. Knowing what she knew weighed on her heavily, causing her to question herself in regards to what kind of mother she was for her son in those moments when she chose to hide the truth from him.

Mulder seemed less affected, but Scully knew that was hardly the case. Much like William, Mulder held back the many fears that flowed easily through his mind, seemingly able to contain them to one particular place in his mind that he didn't access in front of anyone except for her.

The initial separation from Will had been hard on them both, though they grew accustomed to the familiar lifestyle they had once led when they thought Will was lost to them. The same arguments between Mulder and Scully ensued, Mulder trying to patch together his weathered hope while Scully fought to defend a science that had recently been challenged by things she never dared to believe in before. When all was said and done, though, the goal was the same - to save the world. Mulder had pursued the calling vigorously regarding the task they set out to complete, knowing full-well that the world was entirely too large for them to save but still daring to believe that whatever difference could be made by their endless hours of research would somehow be worth it in the end. Classically, Scully had less enthusiasm as they continually neared what they believed to be the beginning of the end, desperate to cling to a shred of hope but failing to as she masked her doubts for the sake of the others, and perhaps even herself.

Now, as she examined the sample with scrutiny, she found herself clawing against the brick wall they each faced, anxious for just one bit to grasp onto so they could begin the upward climb. She heard him enter the lab quietly, smelling the distinct scent of the pizza he carried before seeing his face, smiling for now two reasons instead of just for her very recent discovery. "If there's pepperoni on that pizza, Mulder, this could be the best day I've had in a while," she said, still examining the sample under the microscope.

"Well," Mulder said, looking down at the box, "I hope it's at least still a pretty good day." He sat the box down on the table nearby, coming closer to her. "Did you find something?"

Scully nodded. "The variable re-creation of the smallpox vaccine has proven to be effective on all of the organic compositions we've created based on the original strain of Purity that I've tested." She turned, smiling widely. "We're officially at a seven out of seven."

Mulder allowed a small grin to form on his lips, still feeling the burden of their work despite the overwhelmingly good news Scully just shared with him. "I got mushrooms," he admitted.

"Don't worry, I still love you."

"You need to rest," Mulder insisted, pulling Scully away from the microscope. "Eat it while it's hot."

Scully knew that look in Mulder's eyes, not fully convinced he was solely concerned for her health and well-being. "What is it?" she asked, sitting down as he took a seat next to her.

"Why would they give us a pardon?" Mulder asked softly, glancing at the door that was shut, seeing they were truly alone.

"Because Doggett and Reyes advocated for our involvement," she answered, taking a bite of the pizza slice she selected from the box.

"Just like that?" Mulder asked, still not convinced.

"That's pretty much all it took when you were considered the fugitive, which is a far more serious crime than merely harboring one." She wiped her mouth, eyeing him. "But you don't believe it's that easy."

"Nothing has ever been that easy, Scully," Mulder reminded. "It's as if …"

"As if what?"

"As if whatever we do or accomplish has been expected, predicted even. All of our efforts seeming to contribute to the whole, but in reality falling short of even moving us forward in the right direction."

"You, of all people, should retain some belief in the pursuit of the truth, Mulder," Scully said softly.

"Scully, I just feel like this ability to pursue what we consider to be the truth isn't anything more than smoke and mirrors designed to keep us away from what's really about to happen."

"Are you referencing the children?"

"I don't know what I'm referencing, Scully. But as admirable as our work has been here, I get the feeling our efforts are in vain."

"Now you're sounding like me."

"Well, you might not have been entirely wrong, Scully."

Scully sighed, taking another bite of the pizza as she contemplated Mulder's concerns. "If it's not the water, Mulder, then what is it?" she asked after she chewed and swallowed.

"I don't know," Mulder admitted, rubbing his temples with his hand.

"Maybe you're thinking too much about this, Mulder," Scully offered. "Maybe … maybe they want to corrupt your hope to prevent you from finding the truth they wish to hide."

"Maybe."

Mulder's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he took it out, unlocking it and reading the incoming text he received from Will:

**Something's not right, Dad. I don't know what. But I just feel it. **

Closing his eyes, he handed the phone to Scully, letting her read the message. "Like father, like son," he murmured, now seeing Scully's perplexed look as she absorbed the message.

"Ask him to elaborate," Scully said, handing the phone back. Mulder complied, receiving another text from Will a few moments later:

**Something is going on. None of this makes sense. Why hasn't there been any activity here? Why isn't anyone threatening us? Why do I feel like I'm right where they want me to be?**

Scully looked to Mulder, her lips parting as she watched Mulder reply:

**Do you think it's Joy?**

When they didn't receive a response, Scully began to worry. She nearly jumped when the phone rang, Mulder mouthing to her "William" as he answered. "William?" he asked softly. "Are you in a position to talk?"

"Yes."

"Say what's on your mind."

"Dad, something's going on."

"What do you mean?"

"I've just had this feeling that we're being duped."

"Do you think it's Joy?"

"I have my doubts about her."

"But you think there's someone else."

"Dad, I think that something hasn't been right for a long time." Will shut his eyes as he paced outside of the cabin a good distance away, knowing the conversation was private.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm saying that certain people we are trusting ... maybe they shouldn't be trusted."

"Who?" Mulder asked.

"You're not going to like my answer. I don't even like my answer."

"What are you talking about, William?" Mulder's chest tightened in anticipation of his son's response.

"Dad … I think it's …"

"Who, William?"

Will clenched his jaw tightly as he peered through the kitchen window from outside, his eyes falling on the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and the only woman he had ever loved. "I think it's my children," Will whispered.


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Scanning Scully's eyes, Mulder replied, "William, how could it be your children?" He knew his question served two purposes - to help him better understand his son's feelings on the subject and to clue Scully in as to their son's fear.

"I know it sounds insane, Dad," Will said, disgusted with himself at the thought. "But hear me out. Gibson said he could talk to the child or children when Cara first found out she was pregnant, right? So why can't I? If the children are like me, why can't I hear anything they're saying?"

"Are you sure you've been focusing your abilities-"

"Yes, Dad. I've had eight years of practice now. I know how it works."

"Has anyone led you to believe anything negative about them?" Mulder asked softly, his eyes back on Scully, who shook her head; Mulder nodded in response, knowing she wasn't to blame if so.

"No, no one. Dad, I … I just don't see who else it could be."

"Have you expressed your concern to Cara?"

"God, no," Will whispered. "I don't … can't do that." He swallowed, hoping to wet his seemingly perpetually dry throat. "I know Mom said she showed signs of rape, after her initial physical examination." Will's voice was weak; it was a subject he had resisted for obvious reasons, now seeming to have to confront it head-on. "Dad, I didn't hurt her. I know I didn't. Even if I'm stronger than I realize, it … it couldn't have been me who bruised her and tore her like that. We were … She was …" Will sighed, not able to finish his thoughts, sickened by the possibilities he had to consider in that moment that he thought no one else ever seemed to.

"I know," Mulder said softly, his voice pained for his son.

"I love her, Dad. I wouldn't hurt her."

"I know."

"The bounty hunter initially said Cara would be useful in their repopulation efforts. I thought it was an off-color comment intended to rile me up when he first said it, but since Mom's findings, it's weighed on me."

"It's not typical behavior for them."

"Fine. Then it was someone else. But I sure as hell know it wasn't me."

Mulder sighed, shutting his eyes as he tried to process Will's concerns, forgetting his son had access to his ever-clouded mind, though he knew the distance between them helped to mask his thoughts. "Wait," Will said softly. "You know something."

"William-"

"You know something, Dad. What is it?"

"All I know is that nothing should be discounted. Whether Cara was raped or not, the fact remains that we both feel there's at least one leak among us. And whoever it is, they are to be exposed," Mulder replied, hoping it was enough.

It seemed to be. "I have to figure out a way to kick Joy out," Will said with a sigh.

"Why don't you leave that to me?" Mulder asked. "Your mom and I made a break out here, which I think warrants a trip back home."

"What kind of a break?"

"A clean sweep of the formulated vaccine in lab testing against the various strains of Purity we've constructed."

"That's great, Dad."

"We'll catch a flight in a couple days, once we wrap things up here."

"Alright."

"William?"

"Yeah?"

"Try to keep your hope," Mulder advised gently. "The children you share with Cara are much like you when your mother was pregnant with you. You were thought by many to be something you weren't, but you proved to all of us that you're far beyond what we could have ever hoped for, a true miracle for us. Try to believe in them. Whatever hesitation you're feeling, remember that they can't protect themselves from the games that are being played. Perhaps they just need your trust."

Will watched Cara as she now looked up at him through the kitchen window, smiling gently at him as she dried her hands on the red dish towel she held. "I will," he said, wanting to badly to believe in his father's words of advice, but finding his hope hard to cling to.

* * *

Trading Post  
Near Shiprock Territory, NM  
05:54 PM MST

The last month and a half had been nearly complete torture, Joy's days consisting of being within arm's reach of the only thing she ever wanted but not being able to claim it for herself. She tried to contain her desire for Will, but knew she was suspected by Cara given the silent treatment she had used with her most of the time. It didn't bother Joy that Cara held jealousy for her - after all, Cara should be concerned. Joy hadn't stuck around for six weeks in the middle of God knows where for nothing. Will _would_ be hers, it was just a matter of time - now, she just had to up the ante with some reverse psychology.

Klim had advised her to focus on obtaining Mulder, since it was the most likely scenario of success. With him and Scully constantly gone, it became increasingly difficult to predict when was a good time to organize the invasion of the settlement being arranged by Klim. Today, she had gotten word from Klim that he arranged it for early the morning of the 23rd, pending Mulder and Scully's location, since they recently had gotten word of Cara's plan to leave in the middle of the night on the 22nd.

Though it may have appeared that she held alliances with different parties, Joy was solely focused on her own personal gain, taking resources wherever she could so that she could have Will to herself, consequences for the others be damned. Will seemed to be warming up to her, which she was glad for. Over the last week or so, he had even initiated conversation with her, which was something no one did prior. She didn't have to read his mind to know his heart was still with Cara, but soon she was to be removed from the picture, and then her opportunity to strike would present itself; Joy had confidence that her powerful magnetism would easily sway him to her.

She had played the part, making nice with the locals and fitting in as necessary. The women seemed to take more easily to her than she imagined, though she hadn't given them a reason not to. Even the men seemed to warm up to her, though she knew it was mainly the younger teenaged boys who were captivated by her beauty and charm - and with Will's recent behavioral shift, she felt confident that the position she was setting herself up in would soon pay off.

Clutching the six pack of Will's favorite lager she knew he was fond of as well as three pints of ice cream, she climbed back into the truck with the women she had come with, driving back to the settlement with a smile. She was hoping her peace offerings would give her the in she needed with Cara, but especially with Will.

Later, when she arrived back at the cabin, she found Cara in the kitchen preparing some food. "Oh, no group dinner tonight?" she asked, smiling as Cara turned.

"Not tonight," Cara replied, managing a smile as she returned to chopping the peppers she had just washed.

"Well, that works out," Joy said, taking out the ice cream to show Cara. "I thought you and the babies might like some ice cream."

Cara was taken back by the genuine tone Joy used and the shyness of her smile as she tucked the ice cream in the freezer near her. "A little bird told me you were fond of peanut butter, so I got you vanilla with peanut butter swirl." Joy turned, looking at Cara, seeing her surprise.

"Thank you," Cara said softly, the realest smile she had ever used around Joy forming on her mouth.

"I also picked William up some beer," Joy continued, stowing it in the fridge. "I figured it saved him a trip, since he said he was going to town tomorrow for it." Joy turned toward Cara. "That way, you two can just relax together over the weekend."

Cara had all-together stopped chopping the peppers, stunned into silence as Joy took a step closer. The usage of his full name as well as the attempt to ease their lives hadn't been overlooked by her. "Look," Joy began hesitantly, "I … I know how hard this has been for you, especially, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if I ever made you feel uncomfortable." The knife hovered over the pepper Cara held in place, still frozen in shock. "I guess I just envy you, and I let it get the best of me. But, no one could be more perfect for William than you. I see how much he cares about you. God, I think any girl would chop off a limb to have what you do with him." Joy laughed gently. "Anyway, I just wanted to offer that to you. I hope we can … get to know each other better."

Cara's throat was dry; she knew her mouth had been opened the entire time Joy spoke, not able to move enough to close it or rest the knife down she held as she was continually stunned by Joy's actions. Joy glanced down at the peppers. "Need help?" she asked, turning to the sink to wash her hands. "I'm not too bad in the kitchen and I do have a knack for retrieving things." She laughed. "My ability comes in handy that way."

"Uh … sure," Cara managed, coming back to her senses as she resumed chopping. "I'm making fajitas tonight." She turned, looking at Joy. "I hope that's okay."

"I love Mexican," Joy replied, drying her hands and coming to stand by Cara's side. "Alright, what do you need?"

"Um … how about grabbing me an onion from the fridge?"

"You've got it."

Cara felt her heart racing as she tried to process the sudden shift of gears Joy had showed her. She could only come up with two conclusions as a cause or source for the change, the first being that she was actually being genuine, coming to the understanding that Will didn't care for her in that way, and the second being that Joy and Will had something to hide, that he was now concerned about kicking her out to hide a dirty truth of an affair. Overwhelmed by the second option, Cara became distracted and hit her finger with the blade of the knife, slicing it cleanly open instead of targeting the pepper she held. "Shit," she grumbled, yanking her hand away as she squeezed her eyes shut, the pain surging with the blood to the opened wound.

Joy heard her and turned, onion in hand. "Oh God, are you okay?" she asked frantically, seeing Cara move to the sink to rinse her wound.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Cara replied, letting the cold water assault her cut, still shaking from her second hypothetical reason for Joy's attitude adjustment.

Without asking, Joy moved quickly to the bathroom, retrieving bandages and ointment, rushing back into the kitchen. "Here, let me see it," she offered gently, observing Cara pressing a paper towel on the wound in an attempt to clot the bleeding.

"I'm okay."

"Come on," Joy insisted, taking her hand and examining it.

"Really," Cara said, feeling her body tense as Joy touched her, "I'm alright. It's just a little knick."

Joy was focused, properly applying the medicated ointment to the wound and sealing it in two directions with the bandages. "There," she said proudly, "all fixed."

Being taller than her, Cara looked down at Joy, seeing her smile even radiate in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," Joy said, taking the supplies back into the bathroom. "I think you're off chopping duty, though," she added as she walked away.

"No, I'm alright," Cara insisted. "I don't think the peppers got dirty but I'll wash them just in case."

"And ruin my beautiful medical work?" Joy teased, taking the chopping board before Cara could have it. "No way. I've got it."

Suddenly feeling ill, Cara sat on the kitchen stool, watching dumbfounded as Joy cleaned the vegetables, then began working on the onion. "Why don't you rest?" Joy asked. "I mean, you are literally carrying around two people twenty-four-seven." Making eye contact, Joy's lips parted. "You look pale, Cara," she said softly, coming toward her and feeling her forehead with the back of her hand. "I didn't think you lost that much blood, but maybe you should lay down."

"No no no," Cara said, standing. "I'm fine, really. I …"

Will entering through the back door took Cara by surprise. "Will," she said softly, still feeling nauseous as Joy continued to exam her forehead.

Will's eyes widened in a panic as he saw Joy tending to her. "What happened?" he asked quickly, rushing toward Cara and taking her hand. Cara tried to move her mouth to speak, but was too overwhelmed with mental images of Will kissing and touching Joy sensually that words left her.

"She cut herself," Joy said softly. "I bandaged her up, but then she looked pale. I'm not sure if she should be standing up, really."

"Alright," Will said, grabbing Cara into his arms easily, lifting her, "come on. Let's get you in bed."

"Will, I'm fine!" Cara protested, fighting against him, though it didn't seem to matter. As he rested her on the bed, she immediately sat up, breathing shallowly as she looked into Will's eyes. "Will, I feel like ..."

"Are you feeling ill?" he asked, concerned.

"No, I mean … I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

Will leaned away from Cara, still looking in her eyes, his mind immediately on the conversation he had just had with his father. "Cara-"

"Please," Cara whispered, "just … tell me the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"You know what."

"No, I really don't, Cara."

"You and Joy," she said, her voice shaking. She saw Will shut his eyes, his head hanging. "I deserve to know the truth," she continued, fighting the tears that were filling her eyes. "I mean, I … I can understand if the connection is too strong, but … at least give me the decency to know that's why you want to kick her out."

Will's head shot up. "What?" he asked, baffled.

"Will, I know you. You don't '_all of a sudden'_ have feelings. Hell, it takes you years to have feelings sometimes," Cara stated. "Something is being hidden and I just feel like … I feel like the secrecy you've both decided on is worse than just hearing the truth."

Will shook his head. "Cara, I … we … nothing has ever happened."

"Then why didn't you answer me earlier?" Cara asked, swallowing. "You refused to tell me something, I know you did. And I saw you talking on the phone before she came back. I'm not an idiot, Will!" Cara was angry now, standing from the bed. "Then … she comes back, bearing gifts like she's a fucking magi or something and '_all of a sudden'_ wants to be my best friend? I'm not buying it!"

Will stood, taking Cara's hands into hers. "Cara, nothing is going on between us. I promise you."

"_What_ is going on, Will?" she demanded.

"There is _nothing_ between us!"

"Then what are you hiding?"

"I needed to talk to my father alone, is that alright with you?" Will asked, his anger now surfacing as a result of his guilt, still holding on to the belief that the children that rested between them in Cara's womb weren't his.

"I don't care if you want to talk to someone other than me, Will," Cara corrected. "But I _know_ you're holding something back from me, and I'm not stupid. I know what it has to do with."

Before he could respond, she stormed out of the bedroom, sliding her sandals on before throwing open the front door. "Cara!" Will yelled, cursing under his breath as he ran after her. "Damnit, Cara! Wait!" When she refused to listen, he grabbed her arm, halting her and turning her toward him. "I'm concerned," he said softly, swallowing as he tried to find the courage to reveal his secret. "I'm … concerned about what we don't know that occurred during your capture."

She stopped fighting against him as she listened, still tense in Will's arms. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I …" Will shut his eyes. "Cara, you were raped." The words assaulted her ears - it wasn't something they ever discussed, but something they knew was highly probable. He held her cheek with his hand, stroking it with his thumb. "I … I am just …"

"You … don't want to … be with me because of that?" she asked, feeling hurt.

"No!" Will assured. "No, no, no. Listen to me. There's only two things that have affected me because of that, and you're not one of them."

"What are the two things?"

"The first being that I personally want to tear apart whoever did it to you with my bare hands."

She saw the rage behind Will's eyes as he explained himself. "What's the second?"

A scream coming from the distance startled both of them, and Will's mouth opened in shock as he saw two unfamiliar men approaching with large weapons. "Get in the cabin and arm yourself!" he yelled, shoving Cara toward their home.

"Will!"

"Get inside and get the gun! NOW!"

Terrified for her husband, she turned and ran back toward the house as fast as she could to retrieve his gun for him, feeling the weight of the children inside of her slow her down. She climbed the stairs quickly, throwing open the door. "Joy!" she yelled, bursting into the kitchen. "They're here!"

Joy's eyes widened, and she dropped the utensils she had been holding, shutting off the stove quickly. "Cara, get William's gun and lock yourself in the bedroom," Joy ordered, rushing to her bag and grabbing her gun and knife. Seeing Cara hadn't moved, she took her arm, pulling her to the bedroom. "I'll help William! Now stay here and don't come out until we get you." She pressed William's gun that was loaded with magnetite bullets into her hand, slamming the door behind her as she rushed outside, quickly moving the large cabinet in front of the door with her mind, knowing it was heavy enough to block Cara in. "Shit," she mumbled under her breath as she tore down the stairs. _Double-crossing bastard! _she growled in her mind, thinking of how Klim must have gave her bad information about the 23rd as she approached Will, who was ordering people to stay inside. "Will!" she yelled, gaining his attention briefly.

"Protect Cara!" he ordered, turning his focus back on the men who now approached.

"She's safe. She has your gun." Joy said. Her eyes grew wide as the two men stopped in front of them.

"You know what we want," the tallest of the two said, looking at Joy. "Hand Joy over and no one gets hurt."

"Not gonna happen," Will said firmly, partially blocking Joy.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," the man continued.

"I enjoy a good challenge," Will retorted, seeing the replacement smile.

"Suit yourself."

The door to the cabin closest to them burst open, another tall replacement gripping River tightly in his arms as he lifted him down the stairs. The boy screamed, and Will's eyes widened in horror. "Let him go!" Will demanded.

"Give us Joy, or the boy dies," the man in front of Will said, eyeing him.

"Will …" Joy whispered behind him.

"Let him go," Will ordered again, his fist balling up beside him. Will focused his energy on the man who held River, managing to knock him backwards as River was tossed from his arms. "RIVER, RUN!" he yelled, seeing the boy rush behind and past him. As Will attempted to force the man in front of him down in the same fashion, he felt resistance and tried to push further, yelling in pain as he slumped to the ground.

"Will!" Joy screamed as the man picked him up by the throat. She rushed to help him only to be deflected by the second replacement, crashing to the ground in a heap. She saw him over her, feeling him grab her roughly and pull her to stand as the other held Will tightly, Will trying to break free as he attempted to press the man away from him.

Will panicked, pushing as hard as he could against the equal strength of the replacement who held him, finally feeling the release of his throat as he was tossed to the ground, hitting the stone underneath him hard as he was blasted backwards by the man who nearly suffocated him. Will stood quickly, readying himself to attack again when he groaned and hunched over in pain, seeing the magnetite the replacement held in his hands as he stepped toward him. "Not so super, are you?" the replacement asked, watching with a smile as Will was influenced by the rock every time he tried to move closer, Will only gaining inches as he suffered through the pull of the magnet to try to free Joy. "It's nice to finally have more power than the golden child," the replacement continued, amused at Will's struggle.

With a final blast, the replacement threw Will backwards against the nearby cabin, his back cracking and splitting the wood as he was nearly impaled by the planks of the porch. The replacement shoved the large chunk of magnetite at Will, hitting him squarely in the head, rendering him unconscious as the blood dripped from the cut the rock had made.

* * *

Cara tried to use leverage to move the large cabinet that was full of books away from the door as she pressed her back against it. She cried out in pain as she knew she strained too much, holding her womb as she felt the pull inside of her. "Will!" she yelled, tears flowing down her face. She tried pressing again, unable to free herself from the room. As she kept trying, she heard the front door open, and she immediately froze, her grip tightening on the gun as she listened to the footsteps near her. She stepped away from the door, locking her aim on it as she waited, hearing whoever it was moving the cabinet and now twisting the knob. She cocked the gun, ready to shoot whoever it was, gasping in shock as she saw Shilah's face. "Shilah!" she breathed, lowering the gun.

"Shima!" he said, looking relieved that he had found her. "River said you were in danger."

"Will!" Cara tried to rush past Shilah but he caught her arm.

"Young Fox is safe," Shilah said, looking at Cara.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"John is caring for his injury while he is unconscious," Shilah explained, seeing the horror on Cara's face.

"What about Joy?" she asked, still feeling Shilah's tight grip on her arm.

Shilah looked down. "They took the Raven Woman," he said softly. "She's gone."

* * *

"Jesus, Nick! You really hurt me back there!"

Miles away from the settlement, Joy rubbed her arm as she sat in the SUV they had driven away in, her eyes angry as she glared at the man next to her. "I had a show to put on," the man named Nick replied gruffly. "Guess you need to up your dosage."

"Why the hell didn't Klim tell me about this?" Joy demanded.

"Klim figured the more realistic, the better," the replacement who had knocked Will unconscious said, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove.

"Yeah, well I had it handled," Joy sneered.

"This is better," Nick said. "After you call William for help, he will leave the settlement unprotected."

"He'll never leave Cara alone, despite what I say," Joy grumbled, annoyed with Will's devotion to the Shield.

"He won't need to," the replacement next to the driver explained. "She'll already be gone. His hand is forced in your favor."

"Huh," Joy said sarcastically, smoothing her hair. "I never thought Klim cared so much."

"And by the time they realize, it will be too late," Nick continued with a smile.


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

New York City, NY  
10:08 PM EST

"I just got word from Klim that the plan is in motion," the bounty hunter said after he entered the smoky room where the three others were already waiting.

"Is William convinced of the authenticity?" the dark-skinned man asked.

"Yes," the bounty hunter replied. "And I know Mulder and Scully will be returning within a couple day's time."

"The Shield is still leaving on the 22nd," the mustache man said.

"We've been in contact with Howard to confirm," the younger man said.

"Perfect," the bounty hunter said. "Now all we need to do is wait."

* * *

August 20, 2012  
Shiprock Territory, NM  
11:41 AM MST

It had been three days since Joy's capture. Will had been unconscious for over two hours after being struck with the magnetite rock. When he finally woke, he was relieved to see Cara was safe, but immediately tried to connect together the scattered puzzle pieces of Joy's kidnapping. He felt guilty, before doubting Joy's concern over the men who were supposedly after her, then seeming to have lost easily against them, unsure how their strength had been greater than his own. He assumed it was that the deferasirox they took allowed them to retain their abilities, whereas Will's were most likely weakened by living at the settlement. In the belongings Joy left behind, Will found the small bottle of medicine, unsure whether to take it or not though he knew he would certainly fail another battle against the replacements if he didn't try to utilize something to his advantage. He would wait for his mother's expert advice, something tugging still inside of him that wasn't fully convinced.

There was hardly anything to go on for evidence or clues to locating Joy. Her cell phone had been shut off, so there was no way to locate her via satellite using the technology in DC through his parents, Doggett and Reyes. The identities of the men who attacked Will didn't match anyone in the federal databases, nor were there any fingerprints left behind. Will had tried to review the local highway camera footage, seeming unable to follow the path of the vehicle after it headed about three miles north, the license plate number not recoverable.

In light of the recent dangers, Will resumed his usual obsessive protective nature over Cara, keeping her in his sight at all times. He questioned why the replacements didn't take her, why their focus was Joy when they could've had the Shield and the prophetic children. His only conclusion was that they eventually would try to obtain her, picking off people one by one as a warning to resist continuing down his path of rebellion against the Colonists, continually paying a steep price for his lack of cooperation initially in January.

Mulder, Scully, Doggett and Reyes had taken an early morning flight out from DC that day, due to arrive at the settlement any moment. Will waited in the living room, his eye on Cara as she busied herself in the kitchen. Neither had spoken of the events just prior to the arrival of the replacements, nor was the subject of Will's deception brought up again. Will had become too obsessed with trying to gain a lead on Joy's location while simultaneously hovering over Cara to protect her from every single thing he could. The idea of who the childrens' father were still weighed on his heart, but he chose to ignore it as much as possible, too occupied with his other fears to give any stock to that particular one.

Will stood when he heard the sound of a vehicle coming up the dirt road leading into the settlement; their cabin had been otherwise silent, void of life and lengthly conversation beyond each of them moving through necessary motions after Joy's kidnapping. Moving out to the porch, Will sighed in relief when he saw his parents, feeling a bit of weight lift off of him as he now knew they were safe. When they approached the cabin, Will tried to offer a small smile, his heart once again too burdened with worries over Cara's safety to manage any other emotions. "Glad you're safe," he said softly, embracing his mother first, then his father. He gave Doggett and Reyes each a hug, grateful for their additional presence in the settlement and their devotion to his family. The group walked into the house, seating themselves in the living room as Cara brought out food and drinks; she was startled as she became swept in embraces by Scully and Mulder, who were relieved their daughter in law was still safe, Mulder's hand uncharacteristically pressing on Cara's stomach tenderly, as if he was trying to embrace his grandchildren, too.

Cara had been occupied by her own fears over the last three days, though her fears were completely different than Will's. She was merely two days away from making the biggest decision for everyone in her living room's life, not to mention potentially the world, and it made her heart sink with heaviness at the thought. She feared the utter devastation her sudden, unexplained and untraceable absence would have on Will, knowing she had designed her trip in such a way that she, like Joy, would appear to have vanished into thin air. It made her sick to think of how Will would react when he would wake two days from now and not be able to find her. Yet, she knew it was completely necessary at this point. Otherwise, the horrors would keep happening for her husband and everyone close to him would be at risk. She needed to act - she believed it was the only way to prevent the disaster that kept circling around them, threatening to land on top of them like a hungry hawk that dug its claws into its unsuspecting prey at any given moment.

After resting the tray of food down she prepared, Cara quickly excused herself to the bedroom, the guilt she felt too much to bear as she wrestled with her nausea from it. Will, of course, followed closely behind, finding her curled up on their bed with her back facing the door, clutching her stomach as she stifled her tears. "Hey," he said gently, climbing in behind her and stroking her face. "Are you okay?"

"I just feel sick," she whispered, not wanting to look at him in that moment, for fear of her eyes giving every dark secret she held deep inside away.

He carefully took her sandals off, pulling the covers over her and tucking them around her. "I'll be in after I check in with my parents, okay?" he said, tenderly smoothing her hair.

"I'm fine," Cara assured, not knowing whether she wanted his company more because she would soon lose it, or whether she wanted him to not be near so she didn't feel so guilty for her deception.

"I'll be back," he insisted, kissing her gently before leaving her alone with her dark truth.

"Is she alright?" Scully asked gently as Will re-emerged in the living room.

"She'll be okay," Will replied, taking a seat next to his father. "We're both just worn." He looked at the others, scanning their faces. "Anything on Joy so far?" he asked, knowing there wasn't much hope in his voice.

"Nothing so far," Doggett replied, sighing. "Still no satellite trace as of this morning before we left, nor anything matching the descriptions you gave of the three men."

"They'll come back," Will warned. "They are plucking people, one by one."

"So you think that's why they didn't just take Cara?" Scully asked.

"They'll save her for last," Reyes said softly.

"For what purpose?" Doggett questioned.

"To take William's hope away," Mulder replied, looking at his son next to him. "This is a chess game to them. The checkmate is whoever has possession of Cara."

"They are making me pay for my initial resistance," Will murmured. "You each are in danger."

"Don't worry about us," Doggett said gently, looking at Will. "You just worry about your wife. We'll be fine."

"He's right," Reyes said, giving Will a small smile. "We've dealt with their kind before. Right now, your energy needs to be on Cara."

Will glanced to the dimly lit hallway where he knew his wife was nestled away in their bed, in that moment feeling guilt for how he desired to devour her in kisses to ease her fears and perhaps set aside his own for a while as he lost himself in her. "She hasn't left my sight since," he murmured. "This is the first time, actually." His voice was gentle but his face was pained as he turned immediately toward his mother, her quiet thoughts seeming to blare out with rash noise as he absorbed them into himself, letting them cut him on the way in. "You've known," he said, searching her eyes. He knew no one else besides perhaps his father knew what he was referencing, but it didn't matter. She couldn't hide it any longer. "How long?" he asked, his molars clamping together as assumed images of dark, perverted cruelty against the woman he loved flooded his mind.

Scully hadn't felt any particular way to her son's ability to read minds until this very moment; she now wanted nothing more than the sacredness of her own mind to remain undisclosed. "William," she said, unsure how to answer. There was anger in his eyes, anger she knew wasn't meant for her, but would still surface in her direction. "We don't know-"

"You do," he interrupted, feeling his father trying to physically intercept him, easily brushing his hand off of his arm. "Please don't lie to me," he nearly begged, desperate for someone, for once, to tell him the truth without him crawling into the depths of their minds and stealing it from them, leaving him bitter and angry after the task was complete.

Will felt Doggett's and Reyes' eyes on him, knowing they worried silently if he would suddenly combust like they had seen him do before; they didn't know that he was simply too worn and beaten down to do anything but crumble into a heap of flesh and bones rather than fight. "William," Mulder said slowly. "Nothing is proven yet."

"But you've suspected," Will continued, still eyeing his mother. "You've had the thoughts and kept them to yourself."

"What did you want me to do, William?" Scully asked, finding her strength with the question. "I wanted to. But what would have knowing the possibility gotten you? Would it have helped you to decide your love? You know as well as I do that the woman you've devoted yourself to means more than anything to you, regardless of whatever may be. She was wronged, William. You both were wronged."

Will shut his eyes, feeling the weight of the last seven months bearing down on him like an unstoppable anchor, sinking with purpose as it attempted to cripple him from moving forward. "One of the children has protrusions on the back of its neck," he said carefully, directing the information to Doggett and Reyes. He heard the shock of their thoughts, continuing. "When Cara was captured … we have no way of knowing if …" He stopped, again assaulted by gruesome images of the hypothetical abuse his wife could have went through, pained by them.

"It's okay," Doggett said gently, hoping Will wouldn't feel the need to continue. He knew it hurt him too much, and he and Reyes were more than capable of filling in the blanks.

"I can't talk to them," Will admitted. "I've tried. Cara has said they've spoken to her. Gibson has spoken to them. But they won't speak to me. How come Gibson can talk to them, but I can't?"

"Maybe they're just trying to help you, William," Reyes offered. She paused, catching Will's eyes. "Maybe they would rather you believe in them first without hearing."

"How can I believe when they might … not even be mine?" Will asked, standing up and looking down at his father. "Did you? Did you believe I was yours and not some conspiracy plot injected into my mother's womb, or triggered by an implant, or created in a petri dish somewhere, paraded around as a miracle when I was nothing more than a calculated plan?" He waited, Mulder's silence giving him away. "Then how do you expect me to? How do you expect me to let my wife carry them, care for them, nourish them … love them?"

"I always knew you were mine, William," Mulder said, now standing as he looked squarely into Will's eyes. He paused, looking down at Scully. "Of course we questioned how you came to be. But we never questioned our devotion to you." He turned back to his son. "These children are depending on you, William. They belong to you. They need you."

Will sank in the empty chair between the loveseat and sofa that faced each other, heading the unfinished pyramid of the arrangement of bodies in the room. The stillness of the air accentuated the silence and elevated the tension. "I was never able to push her away," Will said, his eyes on the hallway. "She entered my life seven years ago and … and it terrified me as much as it soothed me. I wasn't designed for a family. She was. I wasn't designed to have this life. She was." He looked at his father. "What if my choice to take this life now means she has to give hers?"

It seemed as though the timing for sudden interruptions in his life was Hollywood perfect, unknowingly scripted by an invisible hand. The knock was soft, unsure, and Mulder stood, answering it on behalf of his son, who resembled a crumbled rag doll in his chair as his fears gnawed at him, his face buried in his large palms. River's large brown eyes met Mulder with surprise as Mulder answered the door, expecting the younger version to be on the other side of the wood. "Mister Mulder," he said softly. "Is Young Fox home?"

"He is," Mulder said, squatting down to the boy's level. "But he's not feeling good, so whatever you need to tell him, you can tell me."

"Is he sick?" the boy asked innocently.

"His heart is hurting," Mulder gently explained.

"He is sad because of the Raven Woman," River concluded, feeling confused. "But doesn't he love Shima?"

"Of course he does," Mulder insisted. "But his heart still hurts for those in trouble."

"Are we in trouble, Mister Mulder?"

Mulder ruffled the boy's silky black hair. "William would never let you be."

River smiled. "Can you tell Young Fox that Grandpa John wants to see him?"

"Sure," Mulder replied.

"Actually, he wants to see everyone," River added quickly. "The FBI people too. And Missus Mulder. And Shima."

"When?"

"After supper. My mom is making rabbit stew. She said you can all come to eat with us."

"Is she putting potatoes in the stew?"

"Of course," River giggled.

"Good, because I only like rabbit stew with potatoes," Mulder teased with a small smile.

"And she's putting carrots, too!" River said excitedly.

"Now that's slightly ironic," Mulder mumbled.

"What's i-chron-ic mean?"

"I-_ron_-ic means when something is the opposite of what you'd expect."

"So … it's i-ron-ic that the Raven Woman was taken when Shima is more important?"

Mulder's eyebrow raised, impressed with the boy's perceptiveness. "It is."

"Will they take her, Mister Mulder?" River asked quietly. "Will they take Shima?"

"William wouldn't ever let them," Mulder assured. Changing the subject to spare the boy of such burdened thoughts, Mulder asked, "What time is supper?"

"Six o'clock," River said matter-of-factly.

"Then we will see you then."

* * *

Shortly after hearing the message his father delivered regarding their plans for the evening, Will excused himself to his bedroom, needing the sanity and clarity of Cara that she could only provide through her quiet mind. Not caring whether the others stayed or left at that point, Will removed his shoes and his belt, carefully slipping between the sheets as he inhaled the woodsy notes of Cara's lingering perfume. He felt guilty for his unspoken need to have her in that moment, trying to suppress the urge to strip her bare and take possession of her to ease his battered mind. Though she was every inch his sanity and saving grace, he knew he would be nothing more than what he had already feared for her to have experienced if he did, so he diminished the thoughts and instead clung to the fabric of her floral print shirt with desperation and exhaustion.

She had felt him the instant he neared the other side of the door, his presence obvious to her even in her halfway-there slumber. He had always been intriguingly toxic, she wanting to overdose in him in much the same way as any addict would with their drug of choice. Her drug was William Mulder; his warmth, his strength, his chaos - what he exposed of himself, everything he was composed of, only served to further her need of him with each unveiling. It wrenched her heart to feel his large hand clinging to her, knowing how terribly frightened he was. It twisted her soul to know how cold she had been to plot to purposely deceive him, to knowingly leave at his most vulnerable time, regardless if the reason was to save him. It also killed her spirit to understand that as much as she loved him, she had to forgo the pleasure of having him in her life in order to ensure that others would continue to live, including him. She remembered how she had begged him to stay that morning in the motel, pleading with him to choose her over his principals. Yet, now as she was faced with a similar choice, she couldn't find it in herself to do it either.

She would fully wake as she felt his breathing was still uneven and rushed behind her, knowing he was attempting to rest but unable to. As gracefully as she could, she turned to face him, feeling his warm lips meet the skin of her cheek immediately. She listened for noises, but heard none - no muffled, incoherent speech flowing from the living room that had oddly soothed her to sleep initially. They were gone. She locked her eyes on his, silently giving him permission to take her like she knew his heart burned to. She wanted him as much as she wanted him to rest, knowing both could be easily achieved.

Words weren't exchanged - they had said all they could at that point - yet their bodies moved in rhythm as if they were communicating eloquently with one another, urging and giving as needed, literal and figurative barriers being removed. His mouth ran over her possessively, claiming her flesh with an air of pride. She let him take control, knowing how much pleasure he derived from knowing the outcome. He had lost so much of his control in the recent past, and if this was the only way he could feel some of it come back to him, then so be it.

They weren't deterred by the obvious physical detour - it had become an exotic challenge over the last seven months, continually exploring new ways to lose themselves in each other. To them, love wasn't something to be capped by circumstances. His desire for her knew no bounds, and she relished and cherished the worship he bestowed on her, his calloused hands marking his territory as they traced her entire being with lust and awe.

He was a constant juxtaposition, hard and soft, hurried and patient, giving and greedy, reserved and fierce. He took what he needed from her, never failing to give her ten-fold in return. Her fingers found his wild brown hair, clinging onto it as if it were the only lifeline left in the vast ocean she was quickly drowning in. Her embers nestled deep inside herself glowed brightly as he continually fanned them, expertly coaxing the fire to build with every passing second. She felt the smile of his satisfaction press on her hip as he let his lips linger, her lifeline of his mane now out of reach as pulled her further into the water. He begged her to let go, and she did. She willingly plunged into the depths, trusting him to breathe life into her as he once did before.

He had often imagined her this way long before it ever came to be, her desired responses under his influence the very oxygen of his soul. There had been some before her, but they hadn't even fit into the same category as she. She was a polished and cut diamond in a mine of rocks, out of reach because of the value she held. There were others more accessible, easier to grasp. However, she had been worth scaling the tallest walls for; she was worth the wait that the pursuit of her took. Now, as his hands lovingly stroked his prized possession, he thanked whatever or whoever was responsible for creating her, vowing with each caress and kiss to never let her feel less than the diamond she was.

He steadied her, feeling her tense under him momentarily, assuming she feared for the safety of her heart. Only, he didn't realize that it was his heart that she feared for with the secret she tucked away inside of hers. He reassured her that he valued her more than the air in his lungs, and he completed them both with fevered grace, her back arching in delight. He saw her close her eyes but her soul open through the intricate dance they swayed in, leading her thighs to rest against his gentle grip. Her hands found first the muscles of his biceps and shoulders, her fingertips taking a slow account of them as they trailed up his neck, sliding against the roots of his silky hair. She let him steer, feeling his hypnotic and controlled acceleration toward the bright, crisp nothingness they had traveled to before together. It crept closer with each heartbeat, with each gasp, with each sigh, with each kiss, with each moan. She held her breath as he suddenly pushed her into the fire that combusted nearly violently inside of her, never feeling more secure as she let go, feeling his large arms surrounding her as he, too, delved into the nothingness with her.

They knew they had to return, though they always silently begged for one more lingering moment in the rest of the destination they had reached. Slowly she surfaced from his warm skin where she buried her face, feeling his incredible strength weaken as he succumbed to her power. Slowly he left his perfect paradise, feeling the comfort of her vanish as she protested softly in a moan. His forehead nestled against hers as they quietly laid side by side, the beads of sweat that formed on his brow now shared on hers between them as they pressed together. His habit always after was to rest his long arm around her to clasp locks of her hair, combing his fingers through them and clinging onto the honeyed strands like someone who was frightened for something to leave, to disappear. She had always let him, knowing how much he needed the security it provided as he let himself be vulnerable in slumber. Only now, as his hand clung to her golden waves, she felt the guilt overtake her as she knew how his loving action wouldn't soon matter - though she longed to selfishly bask in his love, she knew soon his grip wouldn't be enough to keep her by his side.


	16. Chapter 15

07:23 PM MST

Dinner with the tribe had been the momentous occasion it always managed to be, complete with security, laughter and tenderness that they each represented to each other, an unlikely family that seemed so natural. For Will, it had always been an opportunity to just be, to not have to think about his destiny or consider the implications of his actions on the greater whole. Breaking bread with the Hosteen's allowed him to rest, to flow through life momentarily as normally as he could imagine anyone would.

Though women were well-respected in the tribe and in the Navajo culture as a whole, it was rare to hold a council of elders with them. Scully, Reyes and Cara each met the pressure of such a request with trepidation, quietly allowing their minds to spin through the possible reasons for such a markedly different approach. Will clung to Cara's hand, somewhat relieved he could continue to attach himself to her at the council, the feeling of her in under his skin the only thing making sense at present.

The last time they had entered the hogan, Will had been confronted and questioned about his belief in Cara and his children, knowing not much had changed internally for him since. If anything, he feared to be questioned further for his new doubts that he had yet to express to Cara personally, not wanting the eyes of elders on him as he revealed his hidden truth to her. Surprisingly enough, the focus wasn't him this time, but on his father, who John eyed carefully from across the fire they each sat around. "Fox," John said once the ritualistic chanting had completed, "I have heard many stories as a boy growing up, the elders who came before me passing their wisdom down through the tales of my people. I now share the story of creation in the presence of your family so that you, as the leader of your own tribe, may become responsible for it."

John smiled, looking at Cara. "The children will like this story, Shima," he said, his eyes dancing with light, "for it is about them." Reflexively, Cara rested her hand over her stomach, Will's covering it a moment after. "In the beginning, the Diné emerged from three previous underworlds into this world, the Glittering World, through a magic reed. The first people from the other three worlds were not like the people of today. They were animals, insects or masked spirits. First Man and First Woman were two of the beings from the First or Black World. First Man was made in the east from the meeting of the white and black clouds. First Woman was made in the west from the joining of the yellow and blue clouds.

"Once in the Glittering World, the first thing the people did was build a sweat house and sing the Blessing Song. Then they met in the first hogan made exactly as Talking God had prescribed. In this hogan, the people began to arrange their world, naming the four sacred mountains surrounding the land and designating the four sacred stones that would become the boundaries of their homeland. What you now know as the San Francisco Peaks represents the Abalone and Coral stones. It is the Navajo's religious western boundary. Mount Blanco in Colorado represents the White Shell stone, and represents the Navajo's religious eastern boundary. Mount Taylor in New Mexico represents the Turquoise stone, and represents the Navajo's religious southern boundary. Mount Hesperus in Colorado represents the Black Jet stone, and represents the Navajo's religious northern boundary.

"After setting the mountains down where they should go, the Navajo Holy People put the sun and the moon into the sky and were in the process of carefully placing the stars in an orderly way. But the Coyote, known as the trickster, grew impatient from the long deliberations being held, and seized the corner of the blanket where it lay and flung the remaining stars into the sky.

"The Holy People continued to make the necessities of life, like clouds, trees and rain. Everything was as it should be … until the evil monsters appeared and began to kill the new Earth People." John paused, his wrinkled brown skin forming an impossibly warm smile at Cara. "But a miracle happened to save them - Asdzáá nádleehé, Ever Changing woman." Cara felt Will's hand gently tighten over hers, almost hearing his heart desperately open to the possibility of good still left in the world.

"Changing woman grew up in northern New Mexico." John's eyes fell on Will, his gaze intense. "Monsters roamed the land, devouring the five-fingered people - the Diné. Changing Woman fell in love with the Sun, who came to her as a handsome young man over several occasions. She married the Sun and bore him twins, two great heroes to the Navajo people. Before they were born, though, the Sun left Asdzáá nádleehé and returned to his home above the rainbow in the heavens. Changing Woman was without him when the children were born. The twins became known as Monster Slayer and Born of Water and they each bore great power - Monster Slayer, the older one, possessed incredible strength and cunningness, unrivaled by anything ever seen on earth before or after. Born of Water, the younger one, embodied peace and purity, cleansing pools and rivers contaminated by the blood of the people that was shed with a single touch of a hand.

"When they had finished growing at just 12 days old, they told their mother they wanted to visit their father, but she refused to tell them who he was, having been separated from him for some time. Eventually, the twins discovered that their father was the Sun, and they sought his help against their mother's will. She told them the trip was too dangerous, but they refused to listen and began to climb the rainbow to the Sun's house."

John continued to focus on Will, pausing for a moment as he shifted his weight carefully. "In the Sun's house, they underwent many trials to prove to the Sun that they were indeed his children. But, in the end, the Sun accepted them as his own, and clothed the older in turquoise and the younger in white shell and inquired of them why it was they came to see him. He opened doors in each of the cardinal directions, doors of turquoise, white shell, abalone and jet, offering the children jewels, livestock and game, plants and beautiful flowers, rain and rainbows. But Wind's Child, who had guided them to their journey to their father's house, was at their earfolds and advised them to answer each time, 'We did not come for that, my father; that is not our purpose in being here.' Then Wind's Child told them to say, 'We two came for the pair of zigzag lightning that lie up there, and flint shoes, flint clubs, flint leggings, flint garments, flint headgear, flint wristguards, these we two came for. On account of the monsters there is just about one person left.'"

A pin could have been heard should it have dropped on the dirt below them, though the very feat was nearly impossible. Each person was breathless as they listened to John's story with attentiveness, none more than Mulder, whose photographic memory clipped pictures from his mind's eye of the tale to retain the information he had been entrusted with.

John continued, "The Sun answered them slowly, telling them that they are related to the monsters they wish to kill, but that it is apparently no more." Will swallowed at the revelation in the story, his heart beginning to race as he considered his earlier fears of the origin of the children his hand now hovered over. John said, "He then placed agate in them, making them immune to injury and gave them the garments and weapons they had asked for; the older got dark flint and the younger blue flint garments. The Sun gave them prayersticks and then told them that Born for Water would sit watching these prayersticks while Monster Slayer went out to kill the monsters. If these prayersticks began to burn, this would signal that Monster Slayer was in danger and needed help. The Sun then took them to the sky opening and told them where to find Big God. Wind's Child then spread the word that they were returning.

"The Sun placed Monster Slayer at the tip of a zigzag lightning and shot it to the center of Hot Spring, the home of Yé'iitsoh. He placed Born Of Water on on the tip of straight lightning and shot it to the center of Hot Spring. There they waited for Yé'iitsoh to come for water, as he did every day, exactly at noon. Each day he drank all of the water.

"When Yé'iitsoh arrived, he approached from each direction, a little closer each time, inspecting the vicinity of the spring. He saw no one, as the twins were concealed by a dark cloud. After the fourth time, he came all the way to the spring and began to drink. When almost all of the water was gone, when Yé'iitsoh was drinking for the fourth time, Wind's Childs told them to step out and make themselves known. They left the dark cloud and walked into plain sight where Yé'iitsoh saw them when he looked up. Then they exchanged taunts. Yé'iitsoh threw flint clubs at them, missing each time because Wind's Child was whispering advice in the twins' ears. The spinning club he threw cut a path through the trees and stones, making a barren strip. Then Yé'iitsoh had no more weapons."

Cara felt her throat dry up as she listened with wide eyes and parted lips, her hand still under Will's as it rested on her enlarged womb. John closed his eyes briefly, taking a long, deep breath, then began to speak again. "At that point, a big storm began and Yé'iitsoh was wrapped in zigzag lightning. This lightning stripped off his flint armor. Wind's Child told the twins that this was their time now and to shoot into the sole of Yé'iitsoh's foot. Monster Slayer used one of his zigzag lightning arrows to do this, but Yé'iitsoh didn't falter. He then shot a straight lightning into Yé'iitsoh's hip, which brought Yé'iitsoh to his knees, but he rose. Monster Slayer then shot a zigzag lightning into the small of Yé'iitsoh's back. He fell to his knees, but rose yet again. Then Monster Slayer shot a straight lightning arrow into the back of Yé'iitsoh's head. This time, Yé'iitsoh fell. At some distance away, from a place called Open-Mouth Bear, blood came pouring out. Yé'iitsoh had hidden his heart, nerves and breath there. The blood from the body and from the distant place moved toward each other. Wind's Childs pointed out that, should these streams of blood meet, Yé'iitsoh would come to life again. Monster Slayer immediately drew a zigzag line with a club between the streams, while giving a call, _ha ha_; Born for Water drew a straight line between the streams with a club while giving a call, _ha ha ha_. Then they repeated these actions and the blood stopped flowing there. The earth trembled and sounds filled the sky. The blood turned to hot lava, and cooled over the ground. Monster Slayer removed the scalp of Yé'iitsoh and the two were overcome by the vapors from the body. They helped each other stagger over to a juniper where they recovered by chewing some of the juniper.

"When they returned home, after an absence of only four days, they needed to convince their mother, Asdzáá nádleehé, that they had actually been successful in killing Yé'iitsoh. She then danced outside with Yé'iitsoh's scalp between her teeth. Asdzáá nádleehé and the Sun loved the twins very much, as did the First Man and First Woman, and through their faith in them, the world was saved from the darkness.

"With all of the monsters dead, the twins went to live with the Navajo Holy People, who then turned their attention to the making of the four original clans. Kiiyaa aanii, or Tall House People, was the first clan. They were made of yellow and white corn. Eventually, other clans traveled to the area near the San Juan River, bring their important contributions to the tribe. Some were Paiutes who brought their beautiful baskets. Others were Pueblos who shared their farming and weaving skills. Still others were Utes and Apaches."

John paused, carefully looking at Cara. She felt her heart stop as he scanned her eyes, as if he could see straight through her, unmasking her only secret easily as if the walls she securely built around it were made of nothing more than soft blankets. "Changing Woman could not live without the Sun, for he was all that mattered to her. She knew in order for her husband the Sun to be able to visit her, she must live alone in the western sea where the Sun would set. Alone, she built her home on an island made of rock crystal. Her home was made of the four sacred stones: Abalone, White Shell, Turquoise, and Black Jet."

The silence lingered, only disrupted by the crackle of the gentle fire in the center of the circle. "During the day, when the Sun was high above her, she became lonely and decided to make her own people," John continued, still focused on Cara with intensity. "She made four clans from the flakes of her skin. These were known as the Near Water People, Mud People, Saltwater People, and Bitter Water People. When these newly formed clans heard that there were humans to the east who shared their heritage, they wanted to go meet them." Again, John paused, allowing his words to resonate deep inside of Cara, his message coming through clearly in her heart. "Changing Woman gave her permission for them to travel from the western sea to the San Francisco Peaks. They then traveled through the Hopi mesas, then toward the Chuska Mountains and on to Mount Taylor. Finally, the people arrived at Dinetah, the homeland of the Diné, and joined the other clans already living there."

"What became of Changing Woman?" Reyes asked softly after John had finished, her curiosity more than peaked over the story.

John turned to Reyes, replying, "Changing Woman dwells alone in the house the Sun built for her on the western sea, only seeing the Sun when his journey is done, when he crosses the sky to be with her." His eyes fell back on Will, then Cara, noticing their intoxication with the story and the richness of the secrets it held. John looked to Mulder, who had been careful to listen with keen intent. "May this sacred memory of my ancestors provide you clarity in the days of your life to come, Fox."

Mulder nodded gently. "Thank you," he said, unsure if it was the proper response.

Through the swelling of the ceremonial closing chanting, each who had listened to the story took the account to heart, some allowing it to bore deeper than others. "The time is near," John said as the chanting ended. "Your hope is imperative, Young Fox," John warned, eyeing him. "For without it, there is nothing left to cast light into the world."

* * *

09:56 PM MST

It had been an impossibly long day. Doggett and Reyes had arrived at the settlement unprepared for the challenge of solving the intricate puzzle John had designed for them. As they retreated to their room in Eric and Rebecca's cabin, they allowed themselves to sleep, hoping a renewing freshness would wash over them and bring clarity.

Mulder and Scully hadn't felt in the least bit tired, too wound from the potential of all they learned from John that evening. They lay closely together, quietly sharing the possibilities in the solace of their cabin, their bodies unified as their limbs tangled together in perfect confusion.

Will chose his day to come to a close with a cold, green bottle of lager clasped in his hand as he stared into the haphazardly-placed stars in the desert sky from his porch. His mind was on the trickster Coyote, wondering what would possess him to become so impatient with something of such importance, finally realizing he, too, had yearned for things to come to pass before their time, he no better than the disruptive beast.

Cara, too, felt the effects of the day, drained by her heavily-guarded heart that held imprisoned the destruction of all she ever wanted. She allowed herself to fall asleep without him, considering it practice for the time that rapidly approached with unforgiving speed. She felt cold and alone, drifting into slumber as she imagined it must have resembled how the Changing Woman felt in her isolated home on the sea, the warmth from the Sun long gone.


	17. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

August 21, 2012  
Philadelphia, PA  
09:38 AM EST

Schoenfeld poured over the final drafts of the press releases ready to be sent to the various newspapers and media outlets in the area that very afternoon, just in time to be broadcast nationally the next day. In light of the nation-wide water mineral imbalance epidemic being touted by the controlled media, Graver Technologies would officially make its home water filtration device available in the coming weeks, tentatively set for October, as well as work with the state environmental departments, such as the one in New Jersey, on the bottling of water from various natural sources, including Sybil's Cave. There were already several municipal areas equipped with the larger version of the system. However, since the larger-scale model had been pushed through manufacturing, it needed several tweaks and updates in order to produce the correct ratio of Purity to water to remain effective for infection, but subtle enough to fool the general public.

The strain of Purity that was being administered to the unsuspecting people left them in a catatonic state of mind, disassociated from society enough to appear peaceful and resolved from the made-up fiction of the harmful minerals causing the initial chaos some time ago. The plan was working, people developing into replacements successfully, their weak human bodies replaced by alien ones that would serve a higher purpose than a mere human could. There was no need for any more humans on earth, and the Colonists were well on their way to ensuring that fate for mankind.

Schoenfeld had contacted Howard Oakley in Hoboken just moments before regarding the arrival of the Shield, which he, somewhat annoyed, confirmed again. The Shield being in their possession was critical to those he worked for. Without her, they couldn't control the outcome of the only thing threatening to destroy their intricate plan. She would be obtained, and she would give birth to the two beings inside of her so they could study them, manipulate them and mutilate them, as they would their mother, all while their father watched incapacitated. The last detail was a personal touch introduced into the plan by the bounty hunter, who since the day their work was destroyed in Oregon by him, was determined to not only take William Mulder for the Colonists' benefit, but to annihilate his very soul before turning him to pure darkness. Everything was moving accordingly and as expected, deception working overtime as it smugly reminded them of their superiority.

What Schoenfeld couldn't expect, though, was his necessary removal after he submitted the documents hours later. His death was quiet, deliberate and clean. He had served his dark purpose, the black oil possessing his body contained to be used at a later time. Unlike the former Syndicate, the new one had no need to involve more people beyond what was necessary to accomplish the tasks at hand, and once they did, their fates were all the same. To the world, it would look as if Schoenfeld had committed suicide as a result of stress and anxiety. No one seemed to second-guess suicide, as if the answer always preceded the questions asked. What Schoenfeld realized in the slow-moving moments before his death was that there were no loyalties left in the world - that despite his best efforts, the game only needed so many players and he wasn't one of them. He was just another name on a growing list in the hands of the deadly Billy Miles.

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
11:20 AM MST

**Call me.**

Those two words, the six letters shared between them, had ripped the last shred of dignity from Cara's heart as she sat with her husband, in-laws and the agents reviewing potential leads on Joy's whereabouts. Theories leapt back and forth between the group like a bouncing ball, each taking a turn to catch it and pass it back, not ever truly grasping it long enough to come to a solid conclusion. It was the text message from her mother, requesting conference with her in that very same moment as they discussed the needed thought behind such a clue-absent disappearance, that made her feel lower than she ever had before. Gently smiling at Will, she excused herself and stepped outside after making an excuse that she needed fresh air and that she would return shortly. She felt Will's intense and watchful eyes the entire way out of the cabin, not daring to look back for fear of immediately breaking down in front of him.

She was careful to keep enough distance between herself and the vented cabin, knowing the opened windows would potentially give her away. She disappeared out of sight, sensing Will was chomping at the bit to see her return, confident he would retrieve her himself should she take too long. "Mom?" Cara whispered when she heard her mother answer.

"Cara," Maryann said, her voice weak.

"What is it, Mom?" Cara asked, checking quickly over her shoulder.

"I … just needed to hear your voice. I wanted to know you were still coming."

Cara shut her eyes, bothered by the request though she fully understood it. "Mom, I can't just call to chat with you. Will … Will is being Will, and I need to go. But I will see you soon. I'm leaving late tonight."

"I'm so sorry, Cara. I'm so sorry you need to leave William behind. But it's for the best."

She hadn't expected her mother to say that, nor did she find an appropriate response until after a long pause. "It is," she said weakly, knowing the task she would set out to do after seeing her mother. "I have to go." She hung up abruptly, relieved no one seemed the wiser to her brief, risky conversation.

"Feel better?" Mulder asked, eyeing Cara as she returned into the living room. She hadn't before considered the possibility of her husband's father being able to decipher her secrets though he lacked powers, and it seemed as though he now was analyzing her through a psychological lense, trying to find something he thought he saw.

"Yes," she replied, sitting beside Will, who tucked her hair behind her ear, pressing a warm kiss on her cheek.

As they resumed their discussion without more than a momentary pause, Cara quickly and quietly erased all of the information that would link back to her mother on her phone, knowing when she left it with Will in the middle of the night that it couldn't hold any secrets. It would need to be reformatted, wiped clean of any evidence. He couldn't know she was going to do this. He couldn't follow her. He needed to stay alive and safe to protect his family so he would remain on the side of good and conquer the evils of the world.

The piercing tone of Doggett's cell phone filled the air, silencing everyone as it rang. He retrieved it with experience, answering it fluidly. "Doggett." His eyes first narrowed, then began to widen. "Yeah. … Where?" His curiosity had captivated everyone. "Alright, we're on our way. Thanks." As he hung up, he looked at Mulder carefully. "I've got a local FBI satellite office telling me they've found Joy's body. She was stabbed," he said, stunned.

"It can't be her," Reyes challenged, confused. "She wouldn't die from being stabbed."

"They've got irrefutable proof," Doggett replied.

"Which is what?" Scully asked.

"A dental record and fingerprint match. It's her."

"Where did they find her?" Mulder asked.

"Rock Point, Arizona."

No one was more baffled than Will to learn that a supposed super soldier was found whole and deceased at the same time, nor was anyone more remorseful over the idea of her actually being dead.

* * *

FBI Satellite Office  
Chinle, AZ  
1:37 PM MST

It didn't take long for the four to spring into action, Doggett and Reyes heading the group as the only two people with actual jurisdiction, while Mulder and Scully tagged along as the expert consultants they had been labeled as for nearly two months since their pardon. Not being in a position to expose himself, Will stayed behind, quietly resuming his role of Cara's constant bodyguard, which normally would've irritated her. Now, in light of her rapidly-approaching departure, Cara relished the intimacy she now had with Will, content to sit wrapped securely in his arms as they waited by the phone for updates.

The FBI satellite office was rather small, and Scully feared that the need for the forensic examiners to send their evidence five hours south to Phoenix had caused identification errors, though Doggett was strongly opposed to the suggestion. Fingerprints are fingerprints, he'd say, and Reyes tended to agree. Mulder would remain quiet on the trip there, waiting for the discussion with the field agents and then the examination of the scene to reveal its secrets.

The foursome entered the office, Mulder and Scully feeling slightly out of place in their street attire regardless of how smart it or they appeared. The eyes of their contact was on them immediately, squinting as if he was trying to silently decipher their story. "I'm Agent Rob Malinski," the younger man said, first greeting Doggett and Reyes with a handshake each.

"Agents Doggett and Reyes," Doggett said, turning to Mulder and Scully. "These are former FBI agents Mulder and Scully. They're consulting on this case with us."

Agent Malinski seemed to suddenly understand their identities, no longer perplexed by the mystery their faces once held. "Of course," Agent Malinski said softly, offering his hand to Mulder and Scully each. "Nice to meet you. Talk of your work has trickled out here to the desert, believe it or not."

"Well, I hope it's all good things," Mulder quipped.

Agent Malinski seemed slightly nervous, feeling Mulder's eyes on him. "Sure," he stammered, laughing his awkwardness off, which was met by Scully's raised brow.

"I understand that an autopsy has been conducted," Scully noted. "I'd like to see the results, please. I'd also like to see the victim."

"Cause of death was determined to be hemorrhaging due to blood loss from the multiple stab wounds," the agent replied, eyeing the small woman.

"I'm a forensic pathologist and a medical doctor. I'd still like to see the reports and examine the body myself," Scully said firmly, causing the agent to shift backwards defensively.

"Sure," Agent Malinski said, his tone cool. "Meg will show you down to the morgue."

Scully slipped quietly past the agent, following the brunette who led her through a doorway, disappearing from sight of the others. Mulder's eyes followed her the entire way, only shifting back to the agent when he could no longer see her. "We understand that the Phoenix office has identified the victim to be Joy LaHaye," he said, eyeing the younger man.

"Yeah," Agent Malinski replied. "We got a dental record match as well as a fingerprint match."

"Where was the body found?" Reyes asked.

"One of the state troopers saw a whole bunch of vultures circling near Route 35 off of 191 where he was patrolling," Agent Malinski explained. "He's of Navajo descent, so he's very committed to his tribe's belief in blessing the dead, whether they are animals or humans. He said he expected a coyote or something like that … not a human, much less a beautiful young woman. Well, what was left of her anyway." Agent Malinski swallowed. "Her face, uh, was pretty torn up."

"No one has come forth to claim the body?" Doggett asked.

"We couldn't find any personal contacts listed," Agent Malinski replied. "No next of kin. That's why we were able to conduct the autopsy so soon. It wasn't until after that we realized it was the same woman you were looking for."

"Can you take us to where the body was found?" Reyes asked.

"Sure, I'll drive you out there myself."

Mulder glanced back to the door where Scully had disappeared. "Let me go tell Scully we'll be back," he said, heading toward the door. "How far is it from here?"

"'Bout two hours round trip," the agent said, watching Mulder as he showed himself through the door.

* * *

Inside the morgue, Scully clasped the medical report in her hand as she studied it carefully, her latex gloved hand flipping through the information as she processed it. Her eyes fell on the neatly-stitched Y-incision on the young woman's chest, and she allowed a slight grimace to pass over her as she saw the results of the flesh-eating birds' work that had devoured chunks of the victim's face.

Suppressing the natural repulsion to the gruesome sight of her facial features, Scully's eyes narrowed as she examined it more closely, quickly setting aside the medical records as her interest focused on something deep within the gouges of the woman's face. She swiped a pair of forceps from the nearby table, her lips parting in concentration as she carefully inserted them into the deep cut in the flesh, moments later clasping the small object she thought she saw from a distance and carefully extracting it.

Scully held it up to the singular lamp overhead of the victim, angling her head to take a better look. "Impossible," she whispered. It was as she focused on the tiny fragment that Mulder appeared, opening the morgue's door with a practiced carefulness, knowing how easily his disruption could interrupt or damage her investigation. "Mulder," she said, still looking at the object in the forceps. She knew it was him without looking - after all, he was Mulder and she was completely in tune with him at this point in their relationship. "Take a look at this."

Waiting to tell her about his departure, Mulder stepped closer, eyeing the fragment she held. A brief moment passed before his mouth opened slightly; she felt his eyes on her. "Holy shit," he whispered, watching Scully drop the object onto the clean bottom of a petri dish.

"I mean, it could be from … millions of people," Scully tried to offer, not even fully convinced herself.

"Millions of people, or one person who has always toyed with us."

"Mulder, it's impossible."

"Why? Why is it impossible?"

"Because … he's dead, Mulder."

"How do we know? Did we ever see a body?"

"Mulder-" Scully shut her eyes, trying to hide against the possibility.

"Scully, tell me this isn't a calling card if you ever saw one!"

"But why, Mulder?" Scully asked him, looking into his eyes. "Why … and how? How would this be missed in the initial examination? And if this is Joy, she can't be killed with stab wounds. It could just be pure coincidence."

"I don't think this _is_ Joy, Scully," Mulder replied softly. "I think it's a distraction."

"A distraction? Mulder, the dental records and fingerprints wouldn't lie."

"Have you ever entertained the thought of a clone?"

She didn't want to, and she knew Mulder heard that clearly in her tone. "Mulder, even if it was, what would the point be?" she asked.

Mulder was fuming. "To keep us from where we really need to be." He nearly punched the wall.

Scully paused. "William," she breathed.

"Shit!" Mulder growled. "We've got to get back there now. William has no idea who he is up against."

"Wait," Scully said, trying to remain calm for Mulder. "We need to take a look at the crime scene just in case."

"Doggett and Reyes can. We're going back."

"Mulder … what if _this_ is a distraction in and of itself? What if this is just part of their game?"

"Think about it, Scully," Mulder argued, "there's every reason for his involvement. He knows about William, Cara … the babies. He's been playing us all along, Scully. He knew you'd look and find the evidence. He's playing right to us. Hell, he probably just sat back and let everyone else do the work for him while he pretended he was dead until he could claim the prizes."

"Who could he be working for? The New Syndicate would never need him."

"I don't know. All I know is, Scully, that that black-lunged bastard most likely wants a family reunion and I'll be damned if I'll let him have it." Mulder grabbed Scully's arm with as gentle of urgency as he could. "Come on."

As the door swung shut behind them, the impossibly small paper fragment with the red-stamped letters "Morley" under a thin gold line lay still in the dish beside the unfortunate victim.

* * *

Denver, CO  
1:40 MST

A puff of smoke clouded the room as he drew in the nicotine and tar from the stem of the cigarette and exhaled, his eyes focused on the man in front of him. "I don't understand why we don't take advantage of the opportunity at hand right now," he heard the man's impatient tone nearly whine. "Our contact in Arizona has confirmed Mulder and Scully's presence at the FBI satellite office. We don't even need the Shield to leave. We can easily take her despite William."

He took another drag of the cigarette with experience. "Did you ever consider the possibility that perhaps William Mulder is more to be contended with than you realize?" he asked through the smoke that escaped his lips.

"William Mulder can be defeated through replacements using deferasirox," the man across from him objected.

"Can he?" he asked, smiling.

"He was when we staged the kidnapping!"

"He also wasn't protecting the Shield," he snapped. "If he's anything like his father, he won't make the same mistakes twice."

"The longer we deal with our associates on the east coast, the more chance we have at losing our upper hand. If we take the Shield in our possession now-"

"If we take the Shield in our possession now," he interrupted sharply, "we'll never be able to contain her against William."

"William can't overcome the replacements on deferasirox!"

"What William can't overcome is his relentlessness," he said commandingly, allowing his authority to silence the other man. "Perhaps you don't understand the magnitude of power William Mulder holds." He inhaled from the stick again, letting the smoke leak from his lips. "Well, I do. And I didn't wait for ten years to lose because of impatience." He eyed the man carefully. "No one is left to aid him as they once did his father. We take away his parents and force him to choose. Remember that our interest is immunity."

"Considering your relationship to him, I'm surprised you don't want more."

He took a long breath on the stem. "Who said I won't get more?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

* * *

Near Rock Point, AZ  
3:02 PM MST

Doggett and Reyes had agreed to divide from Mulder and Scully, letting them take the car back to Shiprock Territory to be with Will and Cara in case their hunch was correct. Promising to be as quick as possible, Doggett and Reyes took the drive with Agent Malinski down to Rock Point, keeping in touch with Mulder and Scully along the way.

"Well, here we are," Agent Malinski said, pulling the car over and setting it in park. "Our boys didn't find anything but feel free to knock yourselves out."

Peering through their sunglasses, Doggett and Reyes stepped out of the car and made their way to the taped-off area, examining the scene carefully. It appeared to be barren, showing no secrets or clues that could be pieced together for the agents to construct a story of the events.

It was Reyes who peered beyond the scene to a nearby area, catching the vast group of large, dark vultures pecking at their prey. Her lips parted, seeing the desert in the distance dotted with numerous scavenger birds, knowing she had never seen so many in one place at one time. "John," she whispered, gesturing to what she saw. Doggett looked up, focusing on the scene and they cautiously yet curiously approached, he now intrigued with the spectacle as well.

It took a couple minutes to reach the area, but when they did, they were baffled at what they saw. Dozens of vultures squawked and shrilled their disapproval of the agents' presence, their focus divided between picking at the meat they had found and the humans who now carefully approached with wide eyes. Doggett slowly withdrew his gun, holding it high in the air as his eyes remained fixed on the scene in front of him; the nearby large rock formation surrounded by desert vegetation seemed to be a natural, fertile habitat. Only now, it served a darker purpose. He fired four rounds, which was enough to clear the majority of the birds from the opened area, revealing the massive amount of Canyon Towhee bird victims that the vultures had been feeding on, including some deceased vultures among them. An entire flock of the local species lay silent on the ground, and there was no apparent reason why.


	18. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Shiprock Territory, NM  
3:02 PM MST

His feet flew fast over the dirt, experienced in running in the sandals he favored during the summer. His youth provided him exuberant energy, which he often used to take excursions during the day to the local trading post, a ten-mile round-trip from his house at the settlement. Though the newcomers like Young Fox and Shima were concerned for his safety, his parents were used to the idea of he and other children in the settlement traveling such a distance by themselves at their age. It was second nature to him. He couldn't imagine what other children must have felt like to be cooped up inside until a parent held their hand; his freedom was as essential as food, air or water. He couldn't live without it.

He truly did love Young Fox and Shima, thinking they were perhaps the best people to ever exist besides his own family. Young Fox was like a big brother, except one that showed him tricks with powers no one else had. Shima was, of course, protective like women tend to be, but she never failed to tell silly jokes or instigate tickle-fights when necessary. Though he sometimes felt it was wrong, he really did see Shima as the most beautiful woman he had ever known. Young Fox didn't seem bothered by his crush, for which he was relieved.

His brown skin had tanned quickly and easily that summer, assisted by his tendency to roam through the day shirtless. His father often called him Wild Man, which didn't bother him. He imagined in silence that was as powerful at Young Fox, a hero and a savior - and heroes and saviors certainly didn't need shirts.

He skipped stairs as he swiftly scaled the porch, his small hand closing to a fist as he knocked loudly on the door. "Young Fox!" he called, shifting his weight in impatience. "Are you in there?"

River Hosteen smiled as Will answered the door. "Hi, River," Will said, his large palm finding River's head and quickly giving him a brotherly ruffle of his hair. "What's up?"

River smiled, producing a brown box in front of him. "It's for you!" he squealed, not knowing what was inside the mystery package he had just carried five miles. "I got it from the post office."

"Do your parents know you went to the post office?" Will asked, his voice laced with paternal concern.

"Um … no."

Will tilted his head as he looked at River. "I'll keep it between us this time, but you have to promise me next time you'll ask first," Will said.

Knowing better than to try to lie to Will, who could enter his mind whenever he wanted, River nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Thanks." His large chocolate eyes shifted to the box. "What is it?" he nearly squeaked, more excitement in him than he could possibly contain under a guise of coolness he tried to emanate in front of his idol.

Will shrugged. "I don't know," he murmured, seeing no return address. "I guess I'll find out."

Without hesitation, River bounded into the house gleefully, Will chuckling as he shut the door behind them. "Whoa, River!" Cara said, nearly being clipped by the excited boy as he barreled through to the living room.

"Sorry, Shima," River said, stopping and pointing. "Young Fox has a package!"

Holding her iced tea in hand, Cara turned to Will. "From who?" she asked softly, concern in her face and voice that Will smiled off for the sake of River. No one knew where they were living besides the settlement residents, his parents, Skinner and Doggett and Reyes, and all but one were already here and didn't mention anything about a package being sent in the mail.

"I don't know," Will replied, his eyes shifting enough to the excited boy behind Cara, signalling her to play along at the moment. "River and I were just going to find out."

"Actually," Cara interrupted, swallowing as she feared for the boy's safety, "your mom was looking for you earlier when I was hanging laundry out." Cara gave River a small smile. "I think you might want to find her."

"Aww, man," River grumbled, disappointed.

"Hey," Will said, squatting down to the boy's level, "I promise I'll tell you tonight at dinner what it is, okay?"

"Okay," River replied, a smile finding its way back on his face. "Bye, Young Fox. Bye, Shima."

"Bye," Will said, watching the boy quickly exit the cabin. He swallowed, feeling the brown cardboard under his fingertips with hesitation. "Cara," he whispered, "I'm going to open this outside."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"What if it's like … anthrax or something?"

"Will, that was twelve years ago."

Will sighed. "Well, I highly doubt someone is sending me a fruit cake right about now."

"Maybe it's a cheese basket." Cara saw Will's small attempt at a smile at her joke. "Just open it, for crying out loud."

Fishing around in his jeans pocket, Will opened the blade of his large knife, carefully slicing the tape that sealed the package as Cara watched. He lifted the flaps slowly, still afraid of some kind of contagion that meant to harm them, but then froze when he saw part of the contents. "What is it?" Cara asked softly, seeing his sudden shift in behavior.

Will didn't reply; his fingers worked automatically to retrieve the three objects nestled into the bubble wrapping. His mouth opened as he focused on them. "They're childrens' toys," he replied softly, focused on the contents. The small plane, boat and train sat in his hands as they both examined them carefully. "This is some kind of message," Will finally said after a few moments.

"But what does it mean?" Cara asked, eyeing the toys that seemed to be from an identical set. "Wait," Cara paused, "do you think this has to do with Joy?"

"Cara, Joy's dead," Will reminded gently.

"Well, maybe it means something. Maybe it has significance for the future."

"Maybe."

They nearly dropped the toys on the ground as Will's phone rang in his pocket. "Yeah," he mumbled into it as he answered, still distracted by the package he received.

"William, it's Dad," Mulder said, driving impatiently back to the settlement, Scully in the passenger's seat beside him. "Are you and Cara inside?"

"Yeah, why?" Will asked, now turning his attention to his father, whose tone was worried and rushed.

"Stay inside," Mulder ordered. "We're almost at the settlement, but I need you to keep Cara in the house and arm yourself."

"What the hell is going on, Dad?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing. But your mother and I will be there soon. Don't answer the door for anyone." Mulder paused. "Has anything strange happened? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Will looked down to the toys in his right hand. "No," Will lied.

"Alright, just stay in the house. We'll be there soon."

Will hung up when he heard his father disconnect the line, still staring at the toys in his hand. "What did he say?" he heard Cara ask.

"He's worried about something," Will answered, tucking the phone back into his pocket. He tossed the toys into the box, folding the flaps shut and grabbed Cara's hand. "Not a word about this," he ordered, his voice cool with seriousness. "There's no need to add fuel to the fire right now."

"Will, that might not be the best idea-"

"Not a word, Cara," Will repeated firmly, holding her gaze.

"Fine, but how do you silence River?" Cara challenged.

"River," Will mumbled, remembering the boy's excitement. "I'll deal with River right now." Will pulled her to the bedroom, tossing the box under their bed and handing Cara his gun. "Stay in here. Don't move. I'll be back in two minutes. Shoot anyone you don't know. And I mean anyone."

"Will, what the hell is going on?" Cara demanded.

"I don't know. Maybe nothing," Will replied softly before leaving quickly. Cara shut her eyes, upset with Will's sudden shift in behavior, but especially the lack of communication between them regarding it.

Sighing, she laid the gun down on the bed and bent down to retrieve the box Will had hidden away, placing it on the mattress and opening it carefully. She picked up the small toys, examining them as she would have any piece of evidence, with careful consideration and a keen eye for detail. The yellow plane was small, and though she wasn't good with model names, it reminded her of a plane seen from World War II, not something modern and sleek that would fly the skies today. A bi-plane, maybe it was called, seeing the second set of wings above the set expected, connected together. The brown boat was a simple sailboat, though it was missing the sail and merely was decorated with an empty pole, which Cara found odd. The train confused her the most, its design shaped like a deformed bullet, the silver paint glittering in the light of the room. It was missing a wheel and had a permanent marker stain on the back edge.

Turning all three pieces onto their backs, Cara examined the raised tonal letter on the black undersides of each of the toys, noticing they all had the same manufacturer - Curious Playthings. To her, it was an odd name for a toy company, it reminding her of something less innocent than children's toys. She squinted, focusing on the worn name of the city they were manufactured in as she tried to make out the letters.

She jumped when the bedroom door opened, Will bursting into the room as he rushed to make sure she was okay. "Jesus, Will," Cara mumbled, catching her breath. "You scared me."

"What are you doing?" Will asked, his eyes on the toys she was holding.

"Will, we need to examine these for evidence to-"

Will snatched the toys away from Cara, violently throwing them back into the box beside her. "No, we don't," Will snapped, shoving the box under the bed. He felt Cara's questioning look pierce through his back as he rose from the floor.

"What are they, Will?" she whispered, watching her husband carefully as he kept his back to her.

"Nothing," he replied, beginning to turn away from from her before she caught his arm.

"Will, tell me." He shut his eyes, trying to ignore her voice behind him as she held his arm. "Will, please … please tell me."

She saw the rise and fall of his back as his ribcage expanded under it from the long, deep breath he took. "They were mine," he said softly, his back still to her. "I knew it as soon as I saw them." He could hear Cara's small reactional gasp that he knew she tried to stifle. "When I remembered my past not too long ago, I saw them in a memory I had as a child. I had a whole set of them. There were trucks, too." Will paused, turning toward Cara so she saw the profile of his face. "Whoever sent these not only knows where I now live, but where I used to live. And they had to have had access to have saved things from my past." His head dipped down slightly; she knew he was fighting against the rage and violation he felt from receiving the package. "This is only the beginning, Cara," he whispered, "which is why I need you to stay close to me at all times."

Reaching behind himself, he took Cara's hand and led her out of the bedroom in silence. She was entirely grateful for the view of his back to her, since she knew the tears of guilt were close to escaping her eyes.

* * *

Near Rock Point, AZ  
3:54 PM MST

As people from the Arizona state environmental department swept the mysterious scene of the massive bird deaths they had happened on, Doggett and Reyes quietly observed. Everything about the incident was strange - yet, Doggett and Reyes both knew there was much more to be discovered under the surface of this occurrence. "Monica, this screams Purity," Doggett whispered as they watched.

"Out here in the middle of nowhere?" Reyes asked. "What would the point be?"

"Start with the wildlife, scare the people. Provides for more reason for this area to receive filters."

"So it's only a matter of time before the people start being infected."

Doggett nodded. "We've got to get a sample so we can prove the validity of the vaccine."

"Where would the Purity be around here though?"

"Wherever the water is."

They saw the environmental workers milling about; Doggett eyed a younger one with a map in hand. "Excuse me," he said, gesturing to the map. "Would it be possible for us to take a look at that?"

"Sure," the worker said, handing Doggett the map.

"Thanks," Doggett said, turning back toward the car and spreading the map over the hood. "Alright, we're here," he said, jabbing at a point on the map. "So the nearest water source is …"

"Setsiltso Springs," Reyes finished, pointing to the small symbol indicating water.

"How far is Setsiltso Springs from here?" Doggett asked Agent Malinski, who neared them and peered down at the map.

"'Bout six miles," the agent replied.

"Can you take us there?"

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
5:30 PM MST

Though they had arrived some time ago and found nothing disturbed, Mulder couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of paranoia he felt regarding the evidence that was discovered in the victim's body. He and Scully had reviewed with Will and Cara only that they didn't feel it was Joy and that the likelihood that it was a clone was strong. Will, of course, objected to the idea, not understanding what the purpose of killing a clone would be, let alone making one to begin with.

Now, as they sat in Mulder and Scully's cabin with anticipation awaiting Doggett and Reyes' arrival back to the settlement, the silence lingered between the four of them, each harboring a secret from the other out of fear that they would hurt those they loved. They had opted to wait in Mulder and Scully's home so Mulder could pour over the computer he had, researching what he could on petroleum deposits in the area in response to Doggett and Reyes' discovery. However, it appeared as if none existed, though Mulder wasn't entirely sure if that was true.

Mulder had thought that over a decade ago, his troubles regarding a certain someone from his past had been resolved, hearing of the destruction ordered by the military of the pueblo the Cancer Man had been hiding in. Yet, here was a calling card ten or so years later that resurrected his haunting presence and unmistakable darkness. Could Scully have been right, that it was a coincidence, or perhaps a copycat interested in toying with them as they had been toying with their son since January? Both were probable, but the sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise - that it was no accident they found the Cancer Man's signature brand of cigarettes buried deep in a victim that was promoted as being Joy, who they were looking for. It was all too convenient to be an accident, but extremely predictable for something planned, which is just how one would make it if they wanted to get a clear message across.

Will nursed his bottle of lager, knowing his drinking habit had picked up during the last seven months. He always had a fondness for beer, but the last seven months seemed to kick his taste for it into high gear, though he knew he was far from alcoholic. He assumed it was because he wasn't any longer a police officer responsible for being sober at the drop of a hat, though he knew stress contributed to it.

He thought of the toys that were stashed under his and Cara's bed, scared of what they meant and perhaps moreso scared for not being able to identify who sent them to him. He had outright lied to his father and it ate away at him inside, taking its place firmly next to the gnawing that continued to devour him regarding the paternal identity of his wife's children. Whoever decided to send him that particular message was saying more than just that they knew where he was - they decided to intimately express their knowledge of a past that he barely knew, teasing him with a history he had purposely been erased of, all while fully aware that he, himself, would soon have children of great importance like he once was. Though the package was addressed to him, it might have well have been addressed to his unborn children, for they were the ones who were truly in danger.

Doggett and Reyes' knock on the door broke the tense silence, which was a welcomed relief. Scully answered it, letting them both inside. "How'd you get back?" she asked as they settled in.

"Agent Malinski drove us," Reyes replied.

"So now they know where we are?" Mulder asked, feeling his lips curving downward into a frown.

"I think they already do," Cara said softly, causing Will to turn to her in subtle shock, thinking she meant to reveal the secret of the package to his parents. "I mean," Cara stammered, seeing Will's face, "you guys are pardoned and we all have internet connection now, so I'm sure it's no secret."

"Maybe, maybe not," Mulder replied, still bothered by the thought.

"Well, in any case," Doggett interrupted, "we recovered a sample of the water from Setsiltso Springs. We will take it back to DC to run it against the vaccine Scully made."

"Why wouldn't you do it yourself?" Cara asked Scully, looking toward her.

"We're staying here for the time being," Scully answered softly.

"Why?" Will asked, mostly blocking his ability to give them a chance to answer for themselves.

Scully glanced to Mulder; they both knew it was futile to lie to Will at this point. "We feel someone from our past is trying to make purposeful contact with us," Mulder replied, looking at Will.

"Who?" Doggett asked.

"CGB Spender," Mulder replied, still looking at Will.

"What?" Reyes asked, shocked. "I thought he was dead!"

"We still don't know if it's him, or if there's even any cause to be alarmed," Scully assured, catching Mulder's disapproving glare.

"That's the cigarette guy, right?" Will asked.

_She remembered the chain-smoking man in a suit from her hypnosis session, knowing how he used to observe her from the other side of the glass chamber she would be placed in while they intentionally infected her with Purity, measuring her body's ability to not only fight the infection, but control the entity inside of her. She used to catch his steely eyes focusing on her from a distance over the four years she lived in the complex, small snippets of time filling her mind in postcard-like images at the mention of his name. She and the other children had called him Cancer Man, Tar Suit and Hitler interchangeably. In her memories, she saw him watching her, smiling at her as he took a drag from his cigarette, his entire presence making her feel chilled and exposed. He had touched her once, she now remembered, his cool skin gripping her arm as she tried to ignore him when he asked her a question. He had grabbed her arm in passing in a hallway, forcing her to look at his face, to take in his calculated stare. She had; she was frozen, she couldn't move, as if despite how strong she was to alien lifeforms, she was weak to his secretive, plotting scowl. His words were laced with evil, threats of destroying her flowing from his lips, though now the words were muffled with lost time. She had angered him; she didn't know why in this moment, but it was clear that he was upset. Her decision to ignore him had lit the match that caused his wretched fire to burn at her, engulfing her in darkness momentarily. She swore she saw hell in his eyes._

"Cara? You okay?" Will asked gently, seeing her distracted look.

Cara turned her gaze from the floor to Will slowly, nodding. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Mulder hadn't missed the fear that registered in Cara's mind when they spoke of CGB Spender. He looked down at his daughter in law, overwhelming empathy for her current nervous condition filling him. "I won't let him anywhere near you," Mulder said softly, kneeling down to Cara's level as she sat on the sofa next to Will. Her eyes had fixed themselves on the floor again after answering Will, still wrestling with her memories and the emotions from them as Mulder came to her. Slowly, she allowed herself to look at Mulder, who remained next to her, waiting for her to visibly trust in what he told her. Though he didn't know any more than what she revealed in her session regarding her experience with the Cancer Man, Mulder knew immediately that whatever she endured wasn't good, knowing a fear had been instilled in her from an experience in her past involving him - and that was enough for him. Gently, his hand found hers and covered it; he felt her tense under him, then relax into his familiar warmth that she now knew her husband inherited from him. "I won't," he repeated, holding her focus in her eyes.

Will watched the exchange, feeling tormented at the sight of Cara experiencing such fear from just the mention of the man's name though he had no idea who he was. Scully, too, observed in empathetic pain, knowing whatever CGB Spender had inflicted on Cara in the past struck a deep chord with both her and Mulder.

"Last time we saw the guy, he was bound to a wheelchair," Doggett murmured. "I doubt it's him. Even a rat bastard like him couldn't survive a rocket explosion."

Doggett's attempt to reassure Cara hadn't made much of a difference to the atmosphere in the room; the intensity level of the tension was still extremely thickened. "What clue did he leave?" Will asked, looking at his father, who was still beside Cara.

Slowly, Mulder stood, finding a seat across from his son. "His preferred brand of cigarettes," he replied.

"A fragment of a cigarette wrapper," Scully corrected, "which is a national brand and might be purely coincidental."

"Where was it?" Reyes asked.

"In a gouge in the victim's face," Scully said softly.

"So you don't think it's Joy?" Will asked, his eyes on Mulder.

"I don't see how it could be, if Joy was built like you," Mulder replied. "She would have healed. There wouldn't be a chance for her to bleed out like that."

"But if it was a clone, wouldn't it be the same case, then?" Reyes asked.

"Not necessarily," Mulder explained. "Joy is a super soldier. Perhaps the clone they created wasn't with alien DNA."

"Just a plain ol' human?" Will questioned, shaking his head. "It doesn't make sense. Why go through the trouble?"

"I'm not sure," Mulder said, sighing. "I just don't think it's Joy."

"Well, I've got Phoenix running a blood-type and DNA match based off of records from Joy's medical history, so I guess we'll find out when the results are in," Scully added.

"So now what?" Will asked, looking at the group. "We just sit here and wait?" He was growing frustrated with the game he was being forced to play. "I mean, people keep dying around us, and now we've possibly got Purity infecting the water here, which means the settlement is now at risk. How much clearer of a message can you get? I need to act."

"What will you do, William?" Mulder asked, looking at Will. "What could you do to retaliate?"

"More than just sitting on this damn couch arguing about clones," Will grumbled.

"Such as?"

"Well for starters, I'd love to stab the living shit out of a bounty hunter right about now."

"William-" Mulder began.

"Or how about torch the sewer these scumbag bastards are living in?"

"William-" Scully tried to calm her son, knowing he was steaming out of control.

"Or perhaps I could try to get out of here and take them head on before more people keep dying."

"You know better, William," Mulder snapped, silencing his son. "You know you won't get anywhere like this. Don't let them get to you like this."

"What do you expect me to do, Dad?" Will demanded, thinking of the box he received earlier. "They've made it pretty fucking personal."

"We've got the vaccine," Doggett said, his voice cutting through. "Once we can prove that the Purity is in the water we just collected, we can prove to the people that it's in the water they think is safe."

"And sit around and let people die in the meantime?" Will challenged.

"William, people will die," Mulder said firmly, looking at Will. "But more will die if your head isn't in the game."

The group was once again silent, fearful of the grim truth - people would continue to die. The nation, and possibly even the world, would face harsh and unjust prices to be paid for the lack of humanity in control. Though their best efforts would save some, some will still perish. It was this simple fact that bruised and debilitated Will, the law and the people he swore to protect and serve now suffering cruel fates because of the choices he made on a cold day in January. All he could do now was give everything he had to make sure he was able to save as many as possible.


	19. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

New York City, NY  
8:01 PM EST

A swift knock on the door broke the prolonged silence of the four who sat in the darkened suite, the sound of their breath and the occasional drag of a cigar the only thing challenging it. When he entered, the bounty hunter smiled, meeting his eyes with the darkened ones of Billy Miles. "I trust Schoenfeld is taken care of?" he asked him, remaining seated as he looked at the replacement.

"He's been handled," Miles replied, his face stoic and void of emotion.

"What of our associate?" the dark-skinned man asked.

"Him as well," Miles answered.

"Despite the deferasirox?" the younger man questioned.

"It's not fool-proof," the bounty hunter replied, "as much as our former associate would've had you all believe."

"So all that's left is our west coast associates?" the mustache man asked.

"Yes," the bounty hunter said. "And soon we will eliminate them."

"Even-" the younger man began, but was cut off sharply by the bounty hunter.

"Yes, even him."

"It's proven to be difficult before," the mustache man noted. "What makes you think you'll have more luck?"

"Because I created him," the bounty hunter said. "So I can destroy him."

"Perhaps it would be best to retain him?" the dark-skinned man suggested. "He does present a challenge for Mulder and Scully."

"His interests are not aligned with our own," the bounty hunter replied. "He's a liability. For now, he will receive the immunity he's asked for."

"And after?" the mustache man asked.

"After, he'll be nothing more than a distant memory," the bounty hunter said with a small smile. He turned to Miles. "See to it that you're in place for the Shield's arrival. Allow enough time for the pain to be heightened for her." He paused, thinking of Will. "If she suffers, they all suffer."

* * *

Shiprock Territory, NM  
6:22 PM MST

"Will?"

He had busied himself with anything he could to distract him from the sinking feeling of guilt and defeat, his silence extending for quite some time after he and Cara returned to their cabin. He looked down at the opened knife drawer he was standing near, the long blade sharpener in his hand as he continued to swiftly glide the knife along it, the shrill scrape of the metal filling the air. "Yeah?" he said, not raising his head.

"What are you doing?" Cara asked, coming into the kitchen.

"Sharpening our knives," Will replied, his tone flat.

"Why?"

"They were getting dull."

Cara watched as his focus remained on the knife he was skillfully working on, seeing his jaw flex as he remained deep in thought. "I know it'll be dinner time soon, and-"

"I'll be ready in a minute."

She paused. "Actually," she said softly, stepping near him, "I was thinking we could just spend the night together." She wanted so desperately to cling to him tonight, to savor each moment she could before she summoned the taxi that would take her to Colorado, then the small airport she would fly out of. She needed him all to herself.

She knew her request caught his attention, seeing him freeze and look up at her. "Sure," he said softly, dropping the knife back into the drawer. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I'll make it," she replied quickly. "We have some steaks I bought in the fridge. How does that sound?"

Without waiting for a reply, Cara moved quickly to the fridge, taking out the two pieces of meat and laying them on the counter. Will watched her carefully, seeing the nervous energy she used as she gathered ingredients for side dishes. "How about potatoes with them?" Cara asked, her back turned to Will. He was silent; he was confused. "And maybe some green beans? Or we could do peas if-"

Cara jumped when Will caught her arm, spinning her around to him, now pinning her against the counter. Without breaking his eye contact, he took the seasonings from her hand and rested them on the counter behind them. "What's wrong?" she asked softly, looking at him.

"Why don't you tell me?" he asked, still holding her in place; he was close enough that her rounded stomach made contact with his toned one.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I just wanted to make you a nice dinner. We eat with everyone so often, and I don't get to do it for you."

Will studied her eyes. "Are you sure that's all?" he whispered.

She watched him snake his tongue out quickly to moisten his lips. "Yes," she lied, though she felt it was fairly convincing.

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"Really, I'm fine."

"So there's nothing you want to say to me?"

_Oh God. Oh God. Does he know? How would he? Is he expecting me to tell him? Can he read my mind? Or the babies' minds? He said he couldn't! Oh God._

"Cara?" Will asked, stopping the train of her runaway thoughts.

Her mouth opened but nothing came out immediately. "I'm fine," she said, offering him a smile as she stroked his cheek.

"I saw the way you reacted about the cigarette guy," Will said gently, his eyes still searching hers. "Do you want to talk about it?"

_Oh thank God. He just thinks I'm emotional. _

"I'm alright," she said, running her thumb across his cheek. "I don't remember much about him." _Liar, _she thought.

"Seemed like you did."

"Nothing I can really substantially piece together."

"Did he hurt you?"

"It's not important."

Will's grip tightened on her hip where his hand rested. "Yes, it is."

"Why, Will? What difference would it make?" She sighed. "Why do this to yourself?"

"I need to know, Cara," Will said firmly.

"Yes. He did. There, are you happy?" She tried to pull out of his pin, finding he wouldn't let her.

"How?" he asked.

"No, Will."

"How, Cara?"

Her silence killed him; it pained him more than the magnetite bullet that he had lodged in his chest months ago. He felt just as weakened by it as he was then, powerless and dying.

"I just want to make you dinner, Will," she whispered, not meeting his eyes. Why did he have to do this? This was the last time she would see him in God only knew how long and why did he have to-

She winced when he tenderly lifted her face up with two fingers under her chin, slightly resisting his request to make eye contact. Eventually, slowly, painfully she complied. He wanted to yell, to scream, to demand her deepest secrets from her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. He wanted to know the pain that had been inflicted on her so he would make sure the people who needed to pay paid severely. He wanted to know because he was scared to not know, to assume and to be left with only possibilities while the truth lingered out of his reach.

"He … just frightened me," Cara whispered finally, feeling the tears swelling at the memories. "There was such a darkness about him."

"He never touched you?" Will asked, regretting it but needing her answer.

"He … I remember he was mad at me for something once. Something I failed to do. I don't remember what. So … he grabbed me. He twisted my arm until it hurt. He … he told me he would destroy me someday. I guess because I wasn't cooperating."

Will's grip loosened slightly on Cara's hip, his fingers still supporting her chin. "I wish I could've stopped him then," he said softly. "But I promise that I'll stop him now. He won't get near you, Cara. I won't let him." He kissed her forehead tenderly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "He won't lay a finger on you again."

She allowed him to believe that he still retained that kind of power, that she would forever reside in his shadow while he faced the battle alone. He never wanted her on the front lines with him, but she now took it upon herself to charge ahead, to scout the unknown territory for him, to clear the way so he could lead the war that would end the reign of evil. She was the only one equipped with the ability to do it, and it was a task that so desperately needed to be completed. Someone had to know where the weaknesses of their enemy were, how to overcome darkness, from which angle to attack. He would never find that here, locked up in a cabin while he felt the need to protect her - and what she would discover was absolutely vital for him to know.

In silence, she resumed preparing the dinner for them, Will allowing her the space he knew she needed after such a revelation. As he watched her, he thought of how much she had gone through her entire life, the worst of it still to come. He thought about how she hadn't been so fortunate to have parents that both completely understood the pandemonium that was their lives and were present for constant support. No living grandparents, her father was gone, no siblings, her only uncle was dead and turned out to be the person to get her father killed, and her mother had seemingly dropped off of the face of the earth. "Have you heard from your mother?" Will hesitantly asked, not sure if he should have brought up the subject at that particular moment. It was an impulsive question based on the swarm of thoughts in his mind, it leaking out before it could be applied through a filter of thought.

"No," Cara said softly, not looking at Will. "I don't expect to, either."

"I'm sorry," he offered.

"Don't be." She turned, looking at him intently. "It's not your fault." She wanted so badly to tell him about her imminent death, but remained silent.

"I just wish you had contact with family right now," Will murmured.

"I do." Cara smiled at him, resting her hand on her stomach. "I've got my family right here."

His smile warmed her heart and made it ache at the same time. "My family is yours, too, you know."

"I know," she replied.

He let it end with that, watching as she resumed peeling the potatoes for their meal, cubing them and dumping them into a waiting pot of water on the stove. "Can I ask you something?" he said after a while, still watching her. He knew he kept asking questions neither of them wanted to ask or answer prior to this moment, but he knew there was a need for the answers. He knew they couldn't hide from the truth any longer, whatever it might have been.

"Sure," she said, her back still to him.

"What do they think of me back home?"

Cara knew Will was referring to the station and their fellow officers who they had worked with for several years. "They only know what the media told them," she admitted, focusing on the potatoes.

"That I'm a thief, murder and a rapist?"

Her silence was response enough. "I couldn't tell them otherwise, Will," Cara finally said. "I wanted to so badly." She stopped, letting the knife rest on the cutting board. "If I had, I would've lost my chance to help you."

"Why did you turn in your badge, Cara?" Will asked, now crossing toward her. She kept her back to him. "Why did you give it all up when it was hopeless?"

Turning to face him, seeing he was much closer to her than she realized, she replied, "Because I believed in you, Will. I always have. And I still do, and always will."

He kissed her; he hadn't meant it to be as rough of a kiss as it wound up being, but he was consumed with the need to taste her that there was an underlying force behind the union. He parted first, his lips hovering near hers. "Do you think others believe in me like that?" he whispered.

"I think that if they don't already … they soon will."

* * *

They avoided heavy conversational topics after that, focusing on the things they had before felt were usually too trivial to consider, most having to do with their children. As they enjoyed the dinner Cara prepared, Will looked up from his steak that he cut, the small selection he carved pierced by his fork as he eyed his wife. "Do you have preferences?" he asked, knowing they hadn't approached becoming parents as people normally would have with the turmoil they experienced over the last several months.

"Not really," Cara admitted. It was true - she just prayed for healthy children, but beyond that she wasn't concerned. "What about you?"

"Nope. Have you thought of names?"

"I've toyed with a couple."

"I like the name Jackson for a boy," Will said, popping the steak into his mouth.

"Interesting," Cara replied, nodding. "Does it have a meaning?"

"It was the last name of the detective who mentored me as a teen," Will said softly, sipping his beer. "Martin Jackson."

"Yeah, not a fan of Martin."

"Me either."

"Jackson is nice though. Jackson Mulder. Sounds … important."

"Of course he is," Will said through chews. "He's our kid."

Cara smiled. "What if there's two boys?"

"How about Moses?"

Cara's eyebrow raised. "Are you serious?"

"No." Will grinned. "Come on, you must have at least one name for a boy to add to our extremely small consideration list."

"Well …" _No. Don't say it._

"Spit it out."

"Braddox."

Will stopped, studying Cara's face. "I like it. What's it mean?"

"Not sure. I … just kinda squished three names together."

"Which are?"

"Fox … and Brody. Then stole the A from William."

Her eyes were fixed on her plate, afraid to look up at Will. "I really like it," he said, giving her confidence to meet his eyes with her own. "Braddox Mulder. Sounds pretty badass. And considering he'd be named after three strong men, I'd say it's a keeper." His smile reassured her of his genuineness. "Maybe Brad for short?"

Cara wrinkled her nose. "That's the only part about it I don't like."

Will quickly scanned the files of his mind regarding Cara's previous relationships. "Oh, right," he said, remembering the tall suit who charmed the pants off of most women literally and figuratively, but became disappointed in Cara when she wasn't as easy to impress or undress. "Yeah, he was a winner," he grumbled, stabbing his meat a little harder than necessary.

"Maybe we'll stick with Jackson," Cara offered, unable to suppress her giggle.

"What about girls?" Will asked, eyeing her with a smile.

"How about Priscilla? I know your father is a huge Elvis fan."

Will dropped his fork. "Good God," he said, shocked. "Are you serious?"

Cara laughed heartily. "You didn't know that? Oh come on! You had to at least assume that a man with a passion for conspiracy theories would be all over Elvis' 'faked' death."

"Note to self: have a talk with my father," Will said, shaking his head. "And by the way, it's a no on the Priscilla front."

"Good, because I wasn't serious about it."

"You go first this time."

"Alright … what about-"

Will's phone rang loudly in his pocket. He ignored it. "I'm not answering," he said without even looking at it. "I'm not ruining this."

"Will, what if it's your parents?" Cara reminded him gently.

"Then they can talk to me tomorrow."

"Will …"

Growling, he pulled the phone from his pocket and hit the talk button without taking note of who it was on the caller ID. "What?" he said, still angry over the interruption.

"Am I bothering you, William?"

Will slowly rested his fork down on the plate, swallowing as he froze with fear. "Who is this?" he asked, feeling his heart stop at the stranger's voice in his ear.

"I was just calling to see if you received my present."

"Who are you?" Will demanded, his hand tightening around his phone; he saw Cara's eyes widen in concern and surprise. He heard the man pause, his breath seeming to draw in thoughtfully, almost rhythmically.

"You're quite popular these days, William. You remind me of your father when he was around your age."

_He's smoking, _Will thought. "Is this CGB Spender?" Will nearly yelled, now standing and turning away from Cara.

"A name is a trivial thing to be concerned with at present, William. Perhaps your energy is best focused on what's right in front of you."

Will turned back to Cara, looking at her briefly before turning away. "You listen to me, you son of a bitch. You come anywhere near her and I'll make you regret the day you were born."

"Such a temper. We had predicted that in you." The man paused. "If you're not careful, it can get you into trouble, William."

"Who are you?!"

Will heard the man exhale. "My advice to you would be to cherish what you have right now," the man said. "Because a time is coming when you'll be left with nothing. Not even your own soul. I'll be in touch."

Will breathed heavily, gripping the table as he heard the man hang up. He quickly looked at his phone, seeing the number had been blocked from his caller ID. "Will?" Cara asked with hesitation, standing and moving toward him. "What happened?"

"I think the Smoking Man sent me the package," Will replied, still trying to control his rage.

"Was that him?" she whispered, shocked.

"I have no way of knowing. He didn't give me a name. And the number was blocked."

He felt her arms wrap around his back, trying to comfort him. She felt him tremble with the rage he had contained and maybe even fear. "You need to tell your father," she said, combing his hair with her fingers.

"No," Will replied, tense in her arms.

"Will-"

"I said no!" Will yelled, turning around and gripping Cara's wrists. It shocked her, the darkness she saw in his eyes reminding her of a time long gone when they had been together in her car, parked outside of Doggett's and Reyes' home, him refusing to allow her to follow him into the unknown. It was the same darkness that nearly slit her throat in the motel bathroom and later tried to strangle her to death in a different motel room. Whoever was on the other end of the conversation was able to take the light out of his system with only one exposure, pulling and shredding his spirit like magnetite did his body.

Catching himself, he released her wrists quickly, trying to deepen his breathing to relax. "I'm sorry," he murmured, turning away from her and leaving quickly through the back door out onto the porch.

Cara knew better than to follow - she knew he needed to release the anger that had built inside of him so rapidly, knowing she was the last target on earth he wanted to use. She jumped when she heard a booming crash, knowing it was Will's telekinesis that caused it. She felt her heart racing, more afraid now knowing Will's anger and fear had come to such a climax than before when she was under his grip.

Outside, Will hurled large stones into the distant targets in the open desert, smashing the sizeable rocks onto one another, causing them to implode. By his fourth time, he felt most of the rage inside of him disappear. He breathed deeply, knowing Cara was most likely inside watching his display of anger from the kitchen window. When he quietly came back in the house, he was surprised to find her cleaning up the dishes, as if nothing had happened. "Let me help you," he said softly, feeling bad for leaving.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently. It was clear to him that she didn't hold any grudges for his outburst or for leaving her in that moment.

Will nodded. "I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be."

"I hurt you."

"No, you didn't."

"It ruined … what we had."

"It wasn't your choice, Will."

"Yet, it was, Cara," Will insisted. She stopped washing the dish she had clutched in the sink, looking at Will as she dried her hands on the kitchen towel. "I didn't adhere to their plans."

"Since when have you ever done anything normally, Will?" Cara asked with a small smile, tracing his jawline with her fingers.

"I thought you liked my mysteriousness," Will teased, his voice husky.

"I'd say it's more of a reclusiveness," she said, still smiling.

"Mysterious sounds more appealing than recluse."

"I find you appealing, regardless."

She pressed a gentle kiss on his lips; it was soft, chaste and subtle. It was enough to know that the idea of him being at fault for things had been cast aside, that she still saw the good in him despite what he thought of himself. "You're my Superman, after all," she whispered after parting from him, her fingers now nestled into his hair.

"You really still feel that way?" Will asked, his tone serious; he was questioning his worth.

"I've never not felt that way," Cara replied. "Will, people need someone to hope in. And that someone is you. Whether you feel worthy of that position, and no matter what happens around you, it's yours to fulfill. It's always been yours."

"I think …" Will paused, smiling down at Cara. "I think you were like a shaman or a sensei in a former life."

"Damn, I was hoping I was Joan of Arc or something."

"I love you," he murmured gently, kissing her cheek.

Cara hesitated. It was such a brief and subtle hesitation that washed over her in a flash of a second that it wasn't apparent to anyone but her. It lasted no longer than the blink of an eye, but it was filled with endless thoughts of her guilt for her choice to soon abandon him, to go against his will, to deny him the only thing he cared for in life, to make a choice he expressly didn't want her to make. She would tell him she loved him in this moment, but would he still believe that come the morning? When the sun rose and revealed her unexpected absence, would he still believe in her as much as she did him? Would he hang on to the hope that, despite what it all appeared to be, she was doing what she needed to because of her deep, passionate and eternal love for him? Or would he feel betrayed, broken and succumb to the darkness as he had before when he mistook her actions? Would their relationship survive? Would she even survive to worry about such a thing? She didn't know. She couldn't answer the flood of questions that entered her mind and heart in such a small space of time, so she opted to ignore them, savoring the moment without diluting it with the harsh realities they would yet experience.

"I love you, too," she whispered.


	20. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

9:52 PM MST

The bit of beer he consumed during dinner and after had made him more confident and looser than usual, enjoying how she sprawled out on the couch with her head in his lap. "Tell me something about yourself you've never told anyone," Will said, looking down at her closed eyes. Since their relationship evolved in January, they hadn't taken the time to move through the motions of first dating discussions, though they both knew it was unnecessary due to their long-standing friendship. Tonight felt like the right time to ask the silly, proverbial questions that were usually discussed over overpriced dinners with a sort of awkwardness that defined dating.

"You know everything about me," Cara replied, not opening her eyes.

"One thing. I'm sure there's one thing I don't know."

He felt her sigh. "I hate Christmas."

"Really?" Will asked, shifting as he asked. He was surprised.

"I can't stand it," she admitted.

"Why?"

"The commercialism, the way it evokes selfish and greedy behavior in people, and carolers."

Will nodded. "All valid points. But is that what really makes you hate it?" He paused, looking down at her face. "I have a feeling it's more than that."

"You're just disappointed because you expected me to gush over it like any normal person does."

"No, because I've seen you at Christmastime and you haven't seemed like you hated it. Besides, your memories were all tainted, so maybe that's the reason."

"I've hated it as an adult, too. I just never wanted to be labeled as a Scrooge."

"Well," Will said, drinking from his beer, "what if I change your mind this Christmas? What if I show you what it really should be like?"

This caused her to open her eyes. "Will, we both had shitty childhoods. How do you know what Christmas should be like?"

"Every time I'm with you, it feels like Christmastime," Will murmured.

"Alright, that's it, Hallmark. You're officially cut off." Cara tried to swipe the beer from his hand, evoking a deep throaty laugh from Will.

"I'm serious," he said, smiling. "See, to me, Christmas is peace, joy and wonder. All of which I experience with you."

Her eyebrow arched. "Seriously. You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I'm just feeling poetic."

"Otherwise known as intoxicated."

"From three beers?"

"Hey, maybe you just can't hold your alcohol."

Will quickly reached to her knees with his long arm, grabbing exactly where she hated to be tickled on her kneecap. "Damn you!" she yelled, laughing and swatting at him. "Don't do that!"

"Why, what are you going to do about it?" Will challenged.

"Not much with this belly," Cara admitted. "But you just wait. You're mine eight weeks after I deliver."

"I'll probably be so damn tired from taking care of crying babies that you'll win by default."

She wanted to retort with a witty reply. She wanted to continue the banter that defined their relationship. Yet, she froze, slowly sitting up from her laying position, rearranging herself on the couch next to Will.

He wasn't blind - he saw her thought process as it clearly moved across her face. "Hey," he whispered. "We will have that life." He knew she feared what was to come, knowing he had helped to instill those fears. The threat loomed ahead, and he had fed into it, dragging her along into the darkness. He wanted now nothing more than to restore her hope in a normal life.

"No one will have that life soon," she replied, sighing.

"It was my mistake for pulling you into the darkness with me," Will said, covering her hand with his. "Now, I'm asking you to believe in me when I say that I _will_ give you that life."

Cara pushed around the locks of brown hair that had become crazed in Will's mane. "I know you will," she said softly. She blinked slowly, trying to shove down her deception. It wasn't time yet. She still had three hours before she would need to leave. "I'm tired, Will," she lied. "But not too tired to take advantage of your drunken state."

"Oh, I'll prove to you that I'm not drunk," Will murmured, grabbing her easily into his arms and carrying her off to the bedroom like she was the grand prize he eagerly worked to win.

* * *

12:21 AM MST

Her final wish before she left had been granted, having made love with her husband one last time before she was set to leave him behind. It had been perfectly sensual, a metaphysical culmination of their intimate night together. It took every fiber of her being to detach herself from Will's warmth after he fell asleep, the musky scent of his heated skin as she pressed so closely to him nearly incapacitating her. She had been relieved that the beer he had earlier seemed to deepen his sleep more than usual, needing all the help she could get in order to execute her plan the way it needed to be.

She began by reformatting her phone, sighing with relief as the breadcrumb trail of any incoming or outgoing calls and text messages were forever lost on her end. Nothing remained to indicate her conspiracy or her method of transportation to her unspoken destination. She had pre-arranged for the cab to be waiting at one o'clock the end of the dirt road into the settlement, far enough away for no one to hear but close enough so she wasn't walking forever in the dark alone.

Next came packing. A few essentials were all that was necessary, as anything else could be purchased on an as-need basis. She took a few items of clothing, underwear, some toiletries she used that she didn't want to have to repurchase, and a pair of sandals just in case. It seemed like a frivolous thing to consider, that she might want to wear sandals instead of the sneakers she was leaving in, but at that point, it didn't matter what it seemed like. She just had to pack and leave before she changed her mind, or worse, before she was found out.

She counted the wad of cash she had managed to sneak from their account over the last several weeks - a total of five hundred dollars. She knew it would get her there, and knew she could access her Hoboken bank account once she arrived. The return was covered.

She had dressed before she began, now twisting her hair into a braid with expert speed. She watched Will's deep, relaxed breaths as he slept while she secured the small elastic band on the end of the braid, jumping a little when she felt the gentle kick of the children inside of her. _I know, _she thought with remorse as she saw the rise and fall of Will's firm chest. _I wish I didn't have to go either._

She couldn't fight the urge to take one thing of his for herself, wanting a memento to hold on to in absence of actually being able to hold him. Her eyes scanned the darkened room, the only light source coming from a small nightlight tucked behind their bureau. She had hating having the nightlight in their room - she preferred absolute darkness when she slept. However, she knew it was necessary for Will because of how he often got up during the middle of the night and how he needed the light so he wouldn't kill himself trying to get out of the bedroom. Now, she was grateful for its steady glow as she readied herself for her trip, her eyes resting on the small string of turquoise beads he wore at their wedding, the small sun charm dangling at the end. She didn't know if it was fair to take them, but she was fully convinced she needed to, letting them rest quietly in her hands before she slipped them around her neck, tucking them under her tee shirt so they lay near her heart.

As her hands descended to her sides, she caught the bit of color that she bore on her ring finger, feeling her eyes tear as she examined the ring Will made for her so many months ago. She wasn't sure whether she should or not, but the idea of leaving a memento for him, too, crossed her mind. She impulsively took off the braided ring, holding her breath as she felt it slide down her finger. She quivered in saddened silence, feeling a tear escape as she rested the ring gently down on their bureau. She needed him to keep this safe for her. She needed for him to slip it back on her finger when she returned.

Her tear-clouded eyes fell on Will, who continued to sleep peacefully, his body illuminated by the soft yellow light that filtered gently over him. She wanted so badly to touch him one last time, to kiss him, to feel his arms around her - but she couldn't take the risk that he would wake. The tears ran freely now down her face, streaking the image of Will in front of her as she watched him breathlessly. _I love you_, she mouthed in silence, still feeling glued to the floor as she gripped her small travel bag. Before she could undo what she had already done, she grit her teeth together and slipped out of the room, only allowing herself to cry aloud when she walked under the moonlight down the empty and silent desert dirt road.

* * *

6:34 AM MST

_In his dream, he was, once again, in the meadow he was married in, two small children at his feet holding bunches of white flowers in their tiny hands. Before, they had chased each other with laughter and unmistakable joy, whereas now their tiny faces were somber, as if they were weighed down by circumstances they shouldn't have had to experience nor fully understood. They were beautiful, the children - one with bright green eyes and auburn hair that glistened in the sun, the other had a mane of thick brown hair much like his own, the child's dark brown eyes intense and deep. They wore all white to match their flowers; he wore head-to-toe black, clutching his own bouquet of red roses._

"_Momma," the green-eyed child whispered, sniffling. The brown-eyed child gripped the other child's hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. He studied them, their faces reflecting the emptiness of their hearts. Why were they so sad? As he had the thought, it was as if the brown-eyed child heard it and answered by pointing in front of where they stood. His eyes fell on the cool, gray stone that rested closely to them, letters etched deep into its face. His heart jumped when he saw what they spelled. He felt the air leave his lungs, the blood leave his body and his sanity seep from his mind. No. No. No!_

_He panicked. It was a grave marker. A tombstone. And her name was on it._

Will shot up from his nightmare, breathing heavily as his eyes adjusted to the morning light that had washed over the room. He turned, seeing the place where Cara usually was beside him was empty. His stomach felt sick. It was an illness he had felt months before in her motel room when he was faced with the results of her kidnapping. _No._ It couldn't be true. _No. _"Cara?" he called, jumping out of bed and pulling his jeans that were on the floor on the side of the bed on quickly, not bothering to buckle the belt still laced through them.

He burst into the bathroom, tearing open the shower curtain, but she wasn't there. He then charged into the living room, finding the couch she would sometimes sleep on empty. He rushed into the kitchen, feeling tempted to look in the cabinets for her from his shock of finding it void of life. He ran outside, doing a lap around the house, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for her but not finding her. He then backtracked into the house to the nursery, in a full-out panic by the time he realized she was nowhere to be found. "CARA!" he shouted, his voice hoarse from having desperately called her name repeatedly during his wild search.

He soon found himself back in their bedroom, shirtless and his hair still messy from his sleep, tearing open the closets, peering under the bed, going insane as he looked for her like a lost dog. He knew he had fully lost his mind when his eyes fell on her phone, sitting dutifully plugged into the charger. He swiped it off the table, powering it on, his mouth opening when he found it prompting him to program it. "What?" he whispered, knowing the phone had been reformatted.

He growled in rage and threw it with anger, hearing it knock solidly into the wall as he pushed open the closet once more, his eyes frantically searching for the small black bag he knew she had for traveling. He ripped everything away that obstructed his investigation, crazed as he tossed articles of clothing and hangers behind him, ripping boxes nearly in half as he plowed through first her closet, then his. Still, the black bag wasn't to be found.

His heart pounded violently in his chest, his eyes scanning the mess he had made; he had torn up the bedroom in a matter of minutes. He threw open the drawers of their bureau, shoving aside clothing and accessories in an attempt to find the bag. If he found the bag, then his worst fear wouldn't be true. He just needed to find the bag. It couldn't be true.

Will froze and he stood slowly from where he was crouched over the bottom drawer of the bureau, his eyes falling on the small, woven ring that sat on top of it. The drawer he was holding in his hands fell to the floor, busting on contact. He didn't care; he was terrified at what he saw in front of him. It was worse than not finding the bag. It wasn't expected. It severed him at his very core. His long fingers gingerly picked up the ring, his mouth still opened in shock as he felt himself slump to the floor. Burying the cord in his fist, he let the sobs of grief overtake his body. He sat on top of the clothing, hangers, shredded boxes, shoes and broken wood from the drawer, shaking as he mourned, his soul broken and his heart ripped from his chest - the truth tearing him completely apart.

Cara was gone. It was her choice.

* * *

Somehow sometime later, he managed to pick up the heaping mess he called his body off of the equally heaping mess he had made of their possessions in his crazed rage. Tears were lost to him, as was destroying things out of anger - he managed to break almost everything they had in the bedroom as he lost himself in sorrow, tossing lamps, books, knick-knacks and anything else he could get his mind on against the walls and the door to quench his thirst for destruction. It was as if a literal bomb had exploded in the room, everything short of the bed damaged or nearly destroyed. The mess, or cleaning it up, or what she might possibly think of him destroying their property didn't cross his mind. His rage had made him numb to most everything having to do with the consideration of others.

Shaking glass and wood bits off of a rumpled tee shirt he found on the floor in the pile, he slowly pulled it over his head, examining himself in the splintered glass of the mirror above their bureau. He watched as he smoothed the shirt down, staring into his own eyes as if he wanted to, if he could, physically grab the man he saw in the mirror and kill him for causing him so much pain. She had made this choice because of him, because of the evil he had failed to contain - the same evil that he shared DNA with, which repulsed him. She, now, was risking not only her life, but their childrens' lives, so that he could fulfill his destiny uninterrupted. _My children. _The phrase range in his head repeatedly, making his stomach feel even more sick than it already did. Their children. His children. Innocent children.

In that moment, his rage extended beyond himself to her, feeling angry at the implications of her risk she took. She was everything to him, and losing her was horror enough - yet, she willingly chose to risk their childrens' lives on a possibility. He felt the fire rekindle in himself before he realized that he, once, did the same thing. He, too, had risked their childrens' lives on a chance, on a maybe. He couldn't blame her, now that he saw the parallel of their actions, but the weight of knowing his precious, tiny children were also at risk made his blood pressure rise.

He didn't think about anything besides getting there, for he knew exactly where she had gone. Hoboken. Sybil's Cave. She had to have planned this for some time, and she also had to have trusted certain people in order to get her there. Could they have been trusted? Were they people who intended to harm her before she even was able to get to her destination? Would she arrive safely? He had no way of contacting her, no way of knowing where she was through modern technology or telepathy. He knew she wouldn't have left a name or a trail. She was a police officer - if she knew how to track people who didn't want to be found, she certainly knew how to disappear off the radar herself.

He grabbed at what he could under the violent mess he made, barely packing the essentials for everyday living into the duffel bag he had from Tess and Robert in Colorado. He would have to get to the bank before he went to the airport. He hoped she had left him money to purchase a ticket.

His last act was to tie the ring she left behind onto his bracelet he hadn't taken off since February, the small loop now bound to him for safe keeping. He would put it back on her finger. He would bring her home, alive and well, both of their children unharmed. There was no other option to him.

As he locked the cabin behind himself, he singled out his key to Eric's motorcycle. He paused, feeling guilty for considering stealing the bike. How else would he get to the airport? The truck? What had Cara done? Had she called a cab to pick her up? Had she walked down the two mile dirt road in the middle of the night, alone in the desert, lugging her bag, pregnant with his children? He felt his sorrow and guilt filling him as he took in the image his mind decided to paint him. He needed the speed and seclusion of the bike. He needed to be alone. He couldn't have anyone weigh him down.

"William!"

_Shit. Damn. Fuck._

He heard his mother's voice coming from her cabin across from him, her wrapped in a robe in much the same way as when he first met her. His back was to her as he closed his eyes, debating on whether to ignore her and continue for the bike, knowing he could beat her to it as she most likely would fetch his father.

"William, where are you going?" Scully asked, now stepping onto the porch.

"None of your business," Will growled, clutching his bag.

"It damn well is my business," she snapped back. "Now, where are you going?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't let me."

Will continued toward the bike, his mother's desperate voice breaking his heart. "Where are you going, William?" she asked. He shook his head. He read her petty thoughts of a fight between him and Cara, her thinking he was going to blow off some steam and leave for a while. His mother also considered the possibility of him setting off to fight the Colonists alone against hers and his father's wishes.

He couldn't do it anymore; he felt the hot tears returning, though he previously was convinced he depleted himself of his supply. Will turned, feeling the salty water race down his cheeks, his grip tightening on the bag. "She's gone," he said softly, looking into his mother's eyes as she neared him, closing the distance between them. "She's gone, Mom."

Will read her horrified thoughts, visibly seeing it displayed on her face. "What do you mean?" she whispered, clutching onto her son's arm.

"She left," he said, his voice both broken and firm, his rage so intermixed with his grief that he couldn't any longer separate them. "She left in the middle of the night."

Scully's lips had parted as she watched Will struggle with the words as if they weighed on his chest, his breath short and laborious. She grabbed his hand, dragging him toward hers and Mulder's cabin, pulling him with gentle fierceness up the porch stairs and into the living room. She forced him to sink down onto the sofa, tearing the duffel bag from his large hand. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, feeling first his resistance, then his complete breakdown as the sobs shook his body. He was so large in size compared to her, but she still managed to fully embrace him, Will balling up like a tormented child into her lap. Her own tears fell as she stroked his thick brown hair, his pain tearing through her and adding to her own pain she felt.

She met Mulder's eyes as he came into the living room, half dressed and confused when he heard the sobbing. He quickly threw on his shirt over his jeans, his face wrought with worry as he silently pleaded with Scully to clue him in. When she didn't answer in a fraction of a second, Mulder knelt in front of his son and Scully, resting his hand on Will's back. "What happened?" he whispered so gently that it almost didn't fully leave his lips.

"Cara's gone," Scully replied, still stroking Will's hair.

Will swallowed, pulling against his mother to sit up, running his hands through his hair and then burying his face in them. "She went to Hoboken," he said softly.

"Why?" Scully asked.

"Sybil's Cave," Will murmured, his face still hidden from his father and mother.

"The deposit," Mulder breathed.

"What do you mean?" Scully asked.

"Cara is convinced that because she can control Purity, she can eliminate the deposit," Will gently explained. "She … she made a choice I couldn't make for her. I'd never let her do it willingly. So she left." He looked up from his hands, finding his father's eyes. "I'm going after her," he whispered.

"You can't, William," Scully protested. "You're a fugitive, you'll never make it beyond-"

"I'm not staying here!" Will shouted, bolting from his seat, Mulder standing with him.

"I'll go," Mulder said gently, taking Will's shoulders.

"NO!" Will yelled, shrugging Mulder's hands off of him. "I'm NOT risking you, too!"

"William-"

"I SAID NO!"

Will grabbed the duffel bag, feeling his arm caught by Mulder. "You're _not_ going alone," Mulder said, his voice darkened with anger for his son's stubbornness. "I'm going with you."

"No," Will said, allowing his voice to soften as he turned to look at Scully. "You need to protect Mom."

"You're NOT going alone, William!" Mulder tightened his grip on Will, a rage much like his son's boiling just below the surface inside of him. "Now _sit down_."

Will didn't want to hurt his father, but he knew if he continued down the path of anger he was taking that he inadvertently and unintentionally would. He allowed Mulder to pull him down to sit, to rip the bag out of his hand as his mother had before; he clenched his jaw as he felt the darkness resurrect inside of him, the same madness he felt in ADX Florence coming back to life as the voices filled his head, devouring his faith and annihilating his hope.

Mulder was silent as he pulled out his phone, quickly calling Doggett and summoning him to their cabin, though it was early. He gave no explanation, but because of the urgency in his voice, both Doggett and Reyes appeared only minutes later, both visibly shocked at Will's current condition and the lack of Cara present. "What happened?" Doggett asked, seeing Will's bag on the floor beside him as Scully continued to rub circles on her son's back.

"Cara's gone," Mulder said softly.

"Gone?" Reyes asked, stunned. "What? When did-"

"She must have left in the middle of the night."

"Do we know to where?" Doggett asked.

"Hoboken," Mulder replied, glancing at Will, who stared straight ahead of himself.

It only took a moment for Doggett to connect the dots. "Sybil's Cave," he murmured, catching Mulder's nod.

"The longer I sit here, the more danger she's in," Will growled, eyeing his father.

"I'm _not _letting you go alone, William," Mulder replied.

"Well, I'm not risking any of you," Will argued.

"That's not your decision."

"The hell it isn't!" Will yelled, standing as he neared his father.

"Take a look at yourself, William!" Mulder yelled back, closing the gap between himself and Will. "You're _right_ where they want you to be! Dark, broken. Useless. Your mind is so full of rage that you can't even function!" He paused, looking into his son's eyes. "I bet if we go back in your cabin, the shit literally hit the fan, am I right?" Mulder grabbed his son's shoulders as Will attempted to move past him. "Your _wife_ and _children_ are depending on your clarity right now," he said with a darkened tone. "The longer you resist help, the more risk you're putting them in."

Will shut his eyes, picturing the beautiful children from his dreams, seeing the tombstone with Cara's name etched onto it. He tightened his jaw, feeling his bottom lip quiver slightly as he forced down the urge to cry again. "Fine," he said softly, opening his eyes and looking at his father.

Scully stood, examining her son's face. It was so pale, both from fear and nausea. "William, you need to eat something," she gently offered. "I know you. You're your father, and you won't remember to."

Will nodded, giving Scully permission to gather him a quick breakfast. He slumped back down on the couch and rubbed his eyes, seeing Cara's face every time he closed them. He swore his heart both stopped and drove into hyperspeed as he heard his phone ring. Everyone froze as he forcefully removed it from his pocket, watching as he examined the caller ID. The number was blocked. He instantly thought of the Smoking Man who had called the night before, now wondering if Cara hadn't left of her own free will, but rather under the express orders of CGB Spender who possibly threatened his life should she fail to comply. The message sent through the toys as well as his phone call to Will were two details that didn't need to be revealed in this moment, though he wasn't sure if his secrets would be betrayed as he answered the phone. "Hello?" he said hesitantly, swallowing to moisten his dry throat.

"Will?"

His eyes widened. "Joy?" he whispered.


	21. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

"Will … I need your help."

Joy's desperation in his ear pushed Will's nausea over the edge. "Are you alright?" he asked, standing as he felt distracted by his fear for Cara which was now being challenged by his concern for Joy.

"Will, I managed to get away from the replacements," Joy breathed into her phone, hearing Will's brokenness in his voice. "But they're after me. I … I can't outrun them for much longer. I need your help."

Will stared blankly ahead at the white wall in front of him, his emotions too vast and tangled to pinpoint how he felt regarding her request. "Joy-"

"Will, please. Please help me," Joy begged softly, her tone laced with desperation. "I … I barely got away before. Will, they'll kill me."

He shut his eyes, though he still felt the stares of his parents and the agents as he sat in silence. "Stay calm," he murmured. "Where are you?"

"From what I've gathered of my surroundings, I'm just outside of Gunnison, Utah. Near the Manti-La Sal National Forest. That's where I escaped from."

"Can you get to shelter somewhere?"

"I don't know who to trust, Will. I'm … I'm scared."

"Give me a highway marker or something."

"I'm off of Route 137 and Dairy Road … there's an abandoned building I'm hiding in right now."

"Alright. Stay there. We'll come and get you, okay? Give me your cell number."

"703-555-0731. Please … please hurry, Will."

She heard him scribble on a pad he had been provided by Scully. "Just lay low. We'll get you out soon."

When Will heard Joy hang up the phone, he followed suit and slowly hung up, still staring at the wall in front of him. "Joy's alive," Mulder stated, not seeming as stunned as the others.

"Yeah," Will said softly, his eyes still fixed ahead.

"Where is she?" he heard Doggett ask.

"Utah."

"And you're sure it's her?" Scully asked.

"As sure as I can be."

"Where at in Utah?" Reyes asked.

"Near Gunnison."

Doggett typed it quickly into his phone, pulling up a map. "That's about five hours away," he murmured.

"I can't just … leave her there," Will whispered. His eyes finally shifted to Mulder's, then Scully's. "I … I …"

"Okay," Mulder said gently, coming to stand in front of Will. "Listen to me." His voice was soft and gentle, yet sure and fatherly - everything Will needed in that moment. "You and your mom will go to Hoboken-"

"No," Will objected softly.

"Someone has to go with you."

"No."

"William." Mulder took his son's shoulders in his hands. "You're not going alone."

Sensing he feared for his mother's safety without his father's protection, Reyes said softly, "I'll go with him." She saw Will's eyes shift to hers, searching them. "I'll go with him, and the rest of you go get Joy."

Will's eyes shut as he scanned Reyes' mind quickly, knowing why she volunteered the way she did. He felt guilty, placing more value on his mother and father than the agents, but she completely understood. No one would have objected to his rationale in that moment; she spared him the necessary step of expressing such a choice, knowing it killed him to even have to consider it. "Thank you," he whispered to her.

Her warm smile was enough to soothe his guilt. She understood. "You're welcome," she said softly. She stood, looking down at Doggett. "I'm going to go pack a bag." She turned back to Will. "I'll be back in ten minutes."

Will saw how Doggett watched her as Reyes left, his guilt resurfacing briefly when he caught his worries crossing his mind. "I'll take care of her," Will said softly, finding Doggett's eyes searching his.

"I know you will," Doggett said, nodding at Will. He glanced at Mulder. "I'll drive them to the airport, then come back and get you guys. We can't rely on the truck to make it to Utah and I highly doubt you want to pay to garage it for an unknown period of time."

Mulder nodded. "It'll give us time to get some things together, anyway," he agreed.

Scully returned from the kitchen with a cream-cheese bagel and some fruit. "Eat," she said to Will, handing him the plate. Will sat, dutifully eating for the sake of his mother, but completely numb and void of any emotions regarding it. "Do you have everything you need?" he heard his mother ask softly, examining his duffel bag. "William, you barely have enough in here to last a day."

"I'm not planning on being any longer than that," Will replied.

"It's not realistic, William," Mulder suggested. "She might …"

"She might _what_, Dad?" Will asked, feeling his anger grow over his father's unspoken concerns.

"William," Doggett interrupted gently, "she might not want to be found. It might take longer than you anticipate."

It was silent for a few moments, letting Doggett's words settle in the air around them. "She's only going there for the deposit," Will said firmly. "Why else would she go?"

No one had an answer for his question. Will stood, tossing the plate with the half-eaten bagel on the coffee table, turning to his parents. "I …" He paused, seeing his mother's concern in her eyes. "I'll go pack more." He ached like every effort to feel anything or to convey any emotions was extremely painful. He sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes.

Scully approached him, wrapping her arms around Will tightly, feeling him sink into her embrace. He was silent; just the ebb and flow of his breath filling her ear as his head sunk down near her shoulder. She felt her son's pain in that moment so deeply, recalling her own sorrow when Mulder had chosen to leave to protect her and her then baby William. "She loves you, William," she said softly, holding his head tenderly as they embraced. "Always remember that."

She felt him nod against her hand and she pulled away slightly enough to press a kiss on his forehead. "Be safe," she whispered when he caught her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, Mom," Will murmured, returning the kiss with one of his own on her cheek.

Will turned, looking at his father, who had observed the moment. As he took in the physical and personal characteristics of Mulder, Will became suddenly very aware of how much of himself he saw reflected in him. He was a natural extension of his parents, though they hadn't been present until eight months ago. As he sought his father's eyes, he realized how his own tiny children would someday come to be much like him, whether he intended them to be or not. In that moment, he understood his father's advice in the way it was intended - it had been given to him so that he could avoid the mistakes his father made, so that he could help his own children avoid the new ones he was currently making. As was everything Will was doing at present for Cara and his children, so was everything Mulder had done for his mother and him.

Because he didn't truly have a family prior to finding Mulder and Scully, it took Will time to realize that not only did he need one, but he deserved one as well. In that moment, Will finally understood that life didn't have to be lived alone, that battles weren't always meant to be faced without help. People would choose to rally behind him, and he now knew that it was his responsibility to make sure they had something worth rallying behind.

He embraced his father, letting Mulder press a quick kiss on his cheek. "I love you, son," Mulder murmured.

"I love you, Dad."

* * *

En route to Hoboken, NJ  
8:01 PM EST

"Good evening, folks. We are flying in clear summer skies and are now approximately one hour from our destination of Newark International Airport in New Jersey. When we prepare to land in forty minutes, we will ask that you kindly turn off all electronic devices, including cellular phones, tablets, gaming devices, computers and portable music players. Once again, thank you for choosing American Airlines."

Will heard the booming voice of the pilot over the loudspeaker though his headphones that were firmly tucked into his ears, filling his mind with music so he wouldn't have to listen to the cacophony of thoughts of the people around him on the packed plane. He had busied himself with scrolling through pictures on his phone that he had taken of Cara and himself in their life in New Mexico, smiling softly as the memories flowed through him like a refreshing, cool stream in his parched heart.

Will glanced over at Reyes, who he gave the window seat to, and found her in the same contorted position she had fallen asleep over an hour ago, the blanket he quietly shelled out an obscene amount of money for when he first realized she had fallen asleep still draped carefully and thoughtfully over her. Satisfied with his present point of as much isolation as he could currently expect, Will moved to the two albums he had quickly downloaded once his father brought home the phones for them in July. Adele had been playing the first time he made love to Cara, when he crossed the line from friendship to relationship with the only woman he ever cared to. Her haunting, melodic voice now kept him company, his eyes closing as he leaned his weary head back against the rest behind him, shifting to adjust his long frame in the cramped seat.

He had avoided sappy love songs up to this point of the music he listened to, convinced that they would cause him to feel regrettable weakness - and nine hours trapped in the air was too long to dwell in the darkness without possible unfortunate consequences. Now, he allowed the richness of Adele's cover of an aptly-titled track called "Lovesong" to reawaken his memory of that early morning, stringing it together with others he held dear to his heart of his wife.

_Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am home again  
Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am whole again_

He had grown up under false pretenses in laboratory, only remembering to have organically experienced family when he was mentored by a stranger. He had very few memories of his adoptive parents, none of which resonated with him on a deep level. His aunt, too, hadn't touched him either, though he now knew she wasn't truly his family and couldn't have possibly assumed that role willingly. He cared for both his adoptive parents and his supposed aunt, grieving over the loss of them. Yet, whether he just didn't realize it or chose to ignore it, they never truly impacted him as parents and relatives usually did. When Martin Jackson had seen a potential in him and treated him like a son, it began the closest thing he ever had to having a father and a family.

There was unmistakable clarity he only ever experienced with Cara when they first met as eighteen-year-old recruits in the academy. Her fiery spirit and tenacity had drawn him in instantly, her blue eyes hypnotizing him as her smile melted his heart. She immediately became everything he had and had ever wanted to have, though he didn't express it to her until that early morning in Wyoming in January. He kept her safe, took friendship with her as a second-best alternative for fear of losing her should she not care for him in the same way. Cara had entered his life quite unexpectedly, yet he knew with all his heart and soul that he would surely die without her in his life, as if her presence was vital to his survival. Despite what challenges they faced or what other offers were laid on the table, she was the only one who had never failed to make him feel like he was a whole person, and he knew his home was with her.

_Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am young again  
Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am fun again_

_However far away I will always love you  
However long I stay I will always love you  
Whatever words I say I will always love you  
I will always love you_

He so desperately wanted her to know that regardless of where she was on the face of the earth, his love for her wouldn't allow him to be apart from her. He understood her desire to stand up in battle for him, though he would rather her be safe and protected than to risk herself on his behalf. He knew, though, that the woman he fell so madly and passionately in love with wouldn't be moved, which is one of the many reasons he initially was attracted to her. However, he wasn't willing to let her fight for him alone.

_Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am free again  
Whenever I'm alone with you  
You make me feel like I am clean again_

Her very presence cleansed him, purifying him with her unwavering belief in the goodness inside of him. The demons fled his mind and soul with a single touch of her hand. She had freed him from the prison of his mind countless times, the darkness that dwelled inside of him never stronger than she. Perhaps this was why she was so feared to them, those who allowed the darkness to possess them - because she, in all her beauty and strength, would forever be stronger than the evil that snapped at her heels.

_However far away I will always love you  
However long I stay I will always love you  
Whatever words I say I will always love you  
I will always love you  
Cause I love you_

Nothing but his love for her could cause him more pain or more joy. No one but her would ever do. The ends of the earth, to hell and back, and from here until kingdom come were nothing compared to the lengths he would go for her. Time, space, energy and reality would never restrain him from holding her in his arms, claiming her as his. He loved her. He always had. He always would.

When the music faded, he hesitantly, gingerly touched his bottom lip, remembering all of the darkened times he had resorted to doing just that as his last hope for sanity. Yet, despite his fervent hopes, he was painfully frightened when he didn't feel her kiss lingering there as it had once before.

It was gone, just like she was.

* * *

Newark International Airport  
Newark, NJ  
10:39 PM EST

It was only twenty minutes that his phone was turned off after hearing the request from the airline attendants, yet when he powered it back on, he was faced with a myriad of text messages, all from his parents. Will had sworn them to absolute contact, needing to be apprised of every move they made for his own sake, to know they were alright and that they were safe. He was disappointed, however, when what he read indicated that they had been less than successful in locating Joy or getting in touch with her.

As Reyes walked by his side carrying her own luggage, Will quickly dialed his father's number and pressed his phone to his ear, eager to hear his voice.

"Mulder."

"Dad."

"William, you both made it alright?"

"Yeah, we're here. We just landed twenty minutes ago. We're about to get a car now."

"Try to lay as low as possible. You're still a wanted man."

"Yeah, I highly doubt anyone's forgotten about me."

"She wasn't at the building, William," Mulder said, sighing. "So we're finding a motel in the area and trying to see if we can pick up any leads."

"They got to her," Will murmured, his eyes closing momentarily.

"Not necessarily," Mulder replied. "Maybe she just went underground to protect herself."

"Listen to me," Will said, his voice low. "As much of an asshole as I feel like for saying this, don't stick your neck out too far on this one. You three need to stay safe."

"You just worry about taking care of Reyes and yourself," Mulder assured. "We're fine." He heard Mulder inhale, knowing he was working up the nerve to ask him the question he'd most likely hear the most. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Will said softly. "Listen, tell mom I love her, okay?"

"Of course, but what about your old man?"

Will grinned. "He's alright, too."

"Love you, William."

"Love you, Dad."

Will hung up, rubbing his tired eyes as he approached the rental car counter Reyes was at. "How much?" he asked softly, taking out his wallet.

"It's on the house," Reyes replied, smiling. "We'll call it even for the blanket."

"I think you're losing out on this deal," Will replied, a small grin shared just with her.

"Possibly," she said, her smiling widening.

In a weird combination of being on edge and exhausted, Will was both surprised and dazed by the ringing of his phone in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing the number was once again blocked, and he moved quickly away from the rental car counter to a more secluded space of the airport. "Hello?" he said softly, his mind reeling with the possibilities of who was on the other end.

What he didn't expect, what ripped him apart and once again severed his soul the instant he heard it was her soft, wavering voice:

"Will … I made a terrible mistake."

* * *

**BOOK #4: "HOPE"  
COMING SOON!**


	22. Acknowledgements

___So at the end of "Jabberwocky" I said this would be a trilogy, ending with "Fire" ...  
____But you didn't think I'd go away that easily, did you? :)_

___Because of the humbling and awesome support I've received to continue this story,  
I've extended things into another (a final? maybe?) book called "**Hope**", which will be out very soon! _

___I will always and forever want to thank all of the wonderful people here_ ___on FF dot net for taking the time to read and/or review this story and for sticking with it through now three novels! I'm continually inspired by the rabidness of X-Files fans and their ever-present desire to keep carrying the torch of this wonderful television series. I'm thrilled to be encouraged to share my version of life after IWTB, and hope you'll join me for the next book, "**Hope**"!_

_____I'm still thinking about hitting Chris Carter up with some fanfic love ..._

___(I will always want to believe.)_

___;)_


End file.
